UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


SCHEDULE 14A

(RULE 14a-101)

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Filed by the Registrant ☒  Filed by a Party Other Than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:

Preliminary Proxy Statement
 ☐Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
Definitive Proxy Statement
 ☐Definitive Additional Materials
 ☐Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-12
   

A.M. Castle & Co.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

No fee required. 
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11. 
 (1)

Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

 

 (2)

Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

 

 (3)

Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:

 

 (4)

Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

 

 (5)

Total fee paid:

 

Fee paid previously with preliminary materials: 
Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
 (1)

Amount previously paid:

 

 (2)

Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

 

 (3)

Filing Party:

 

 (4)

Date Filed:

 

 

    

 

A.M. Castle & Co.

Our Values

1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220
Integrity & SafetyOwnershipService
We strive to do the right thing to support our customers, shareholders, suppliers, communities, and one another. We reinforce a culture of safety and well-being to protect our most valuable asset; our people.Every employee is expected to embody an entrepreneurial spirit. If a process isn’t working, we change it. We understand that each of us has the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in our everyday actions.Service is in our DNA. We go above and beyond to meet the needs of our stakeholders, without compromising our standards of integrity. We support each other to ensure our customers are satisfied. Customer service is not a department, it’s an attitude.

Oak Brook, Illinois 60523
QualityInclusion
Every action we take is guided by the goal of providing value-added processing, on-time delivery, and outstanding service. If a decision compromises our standard of quality, we reject it We are proud of the role we all play in supporting the value chain at Castle.We value the unique background and perspective each employee brings to Castle. We are open to healthy debate and discussion while working together toward our common goals. At every level, we are committed to recruiting and investing in top talent from all communities.

 

Dear Fellow Stockholders:
The Elements of Our Culture

Achieving
Business Targets
Driving Innovation
and Value
Empowering
Our Branches
Investing in Talent
and Culture

•  Profitability

•  Operating efficiency

•  Sales growth

•  Comprehensive management of assets

•  Dynamic customer partnerships

•  Strategic inventory investments

•  Cutting-edge equipment

•  Strong mill relationships

•  Investment in people, equipment, and inventory at the branch level

•  Local leadership

•  Entrepreneurial spirit

•  Commitment to values

•  Employee engagement

•  Career development

•  Constant communication

Table of Contents

Letter to Stockholders1
Notice of Annual Meeting2
Proposal No. 1:  Election of Directors3
Board Structure3
Board Membership Criteria3
Director Resignation Policy4
Director Nominees Qualifications and Experience4
Director Nominees5
Corporate Governance8
Board Leadership8
Standing Board Committees8
Director Independence; Financial Expert9
Board Meetings and Attendance10
Non-Employee Director Compensation10
Director Compensation Table – Fiscal Year 201811
Oversight of Risk Management11
Code of Conduct11
Related Parties12
Related-Party Transactions and Relationships12
Stock Ownership15
Principal Stockholders16
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance17
Proposal No. 2: Advisory Vote to Approve Executive Compensation18
Executive Compensation19
Compensation Consultant19
Summary Compensation Table19
All Other Compensation Table – Fiscal Year 201820
Elements of Compensation20
Executive Compensation Philosophy23
Executive Compensation Process23
Benchmarking24
Additional Executive Compensation Information and Policies25
Outstanding Equity Awards at 2018 Fiscal Year-End27
Equity Compensation Plan Information28
Proposal No. 3: Ratification of Appointment of Auditors29
Audit Committee Members30
Pre-Approval Policy for Audit and Non-Audit Services30
Report of the Audit Committee30
Other Information32
Quorum32
Abstentions32
Who Can Vote32
Beneficial Owners32
Attending the Annual Meeting33
Tabulation and Counting Votes33
Revoking a Vote33
Voting Results33
Communication with Directors33
Questions and Answers34
Availability of Form 10-K and Annual Report to Stockholders34
Stockholder Proposals for 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders
34

i
Letter to Stockholders

Dear Fellow Stockholder:

Over the course of the past three years, we have made great strides in re-establishing A.M. Castle as a leading metals distributor and supply chain service provider. Having completed an operational transformation and a complex financial restructuring, we are now focused on profitable growth in the years ahead.

At the same time, we have endeavored to truly partner with our customers and suppliers to provide best-in-class supply chain management and refreshed our Company’s mission, vision, and values to articulate the culture we want to create. We do not intend to stop here, however.

Our key goals for the future include improving the profitability of our core operations and efficiently deploying our working capital, while simultaneously executing long-term growth initiatives that advance our overall objective to build shareholder value.


To support this growth strategy, we recently realigned our executive leadership structure. As Chairman & CEO, Steven Scheinkman will concentrate on A.M. Castle’s long-term strategic growth initiatives. In my new role as President, I will lead the A.M. Castle management team in executing daily operations and improvement initiatives. Additionally, we reorganized our global sourcing and supply chain group, in order to fully leverage our strategic relationships with suppliers and our extensive in-house product expertise and capabilities. We believe these changes will enable us to sharpen our strategic vision, enhance our working capital efficiency, and deliver improved operational execution on a daily basis, ultimately leading to improved profitability.

Marec E. Edgar
President

With our financial restructuring behind us, the executive team and I continue to chart a course that will help us achieve business targets, drive innovation, empower our branches, and invest in our talent and Company culture. On behalf of the Boardexecutive team, I want to thank you for your continued support. Your belief in our business allows us to look confidently forward and focus on strategies to build shareholder value over the long-term. I am incredibly proud of Directorswhat we have accomplished together and look forward to reporting on our further success this time next year.

Sincerely,

Marec E. Edgar
President

 

1

Notice of A.M. Castle & Co., a Maryland corporation (“Castle,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”), weAnnual Meeting

We are pleased to invite you to join usthe Board of Directors (the “Board”) of A. M. Castle & Co. (the “Company”) and senior management at the Company’s 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (“Annual Meeting”).

Date and Time
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
10:00 a.m. C.D.T
Location
1420 Kensington Road
Suite 220
Oak Brook, Illinois 60523

The items of business for the meeting will be:

1.Election of director nominees;
2.Approval of the Company’s executive compensation on an advisory (non-binding) basis;
3.Ratification of the appointment of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019; and
4.Any other business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting.

The Board established the close of business on February 28, 2019, as the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. On or about March 19, 2019, a specialfull set of proxy materials, including a copy of the Proxy Statement, the annual report and a proxy card, was first made available to the Company’s stockholders of record. The Board is soliciting the enclosed proxy for use at the Company’s Annual Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.

If any other matters are properly presented at the Annual Meeting for consideration, the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy will have discretion to vote on those matters to the same extent as the person signing the proxy would be entitled to vote. It is not currently anticipated that any other matters will be raised at the Annual Meeting.

Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we hope you will vote as soon as possible. You may vote over the Internet, as well as by telephone, or by mailing a proxy card in the enclosed envelope, which requires no postage if mailed in the United States. Please review the instructions on each of your voting options described on the enclosed proxy card.

By Order of the Board
Michelle McIntoshOak Brook, Illinois
VP, Legal & SecretaryMarch 19, 2019

Voting Information
As of the close of business on February 28, 2019, the record date established for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting, there were 3,634,658 outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock. Each share of common stock outstanding on the record date is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted at the Annual Meeting.
Vote on the internet
Visit www.proxyvote.com by 11:59 P.M. ET on April 30, 2019 for shares held directly and by 11:59 P.M. ET on April 26, 2019 for shares held in a retirement plan.
Vote by telephone
Call (800) 690-6903 and vote 24 hours a day, seven days a week by 11:59 P.M. E.T on April 30, 2019 for shares held directly and by 11:59 P.M. E.T on April 26, 2019 for shares held in a retirement plan.
 
Vote by mail
Mark, sign, date and return the enclosed proxy card to the address listed on the proxy card by April 17, 2019.
Vote in person
All stockholders of record may vote in person at the Annual Meeting.
If you plan to attend the meeting in person, refer to the Other Information section on page 32 for important details on admission requirements.


2
Proposal No. 1:  Election of Directors

Stockholders are being asked to elect six director nominees to serve until the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Following the recommendation of the Company’s Governance Committee (the “Governance Committee”), the Company’s Board has nominated each individual presently serving as a director for election at this Annual Meeting.

Abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on the result of the vote for the election of directors, although they will be considered present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum.

Board Structure

The Company’s Board structure and governance procedures require each director nominee to be approved by the stockholders at each Annual Meeting. Each director elected at the Annual Meeting will hold office until the next succeeding annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal. Each director nominee listed below has consented to be named in this Proxy Statement and has agreed to serve as a director, if elected, and the Company expects each nominee to be able to serve, if elected.

If any director nominee is unable or unwilling to accept his or her election or is unavailable to serve for any reason, the persons named as proxies will have authority, according to their judgment, to vote or refrain from voting for such alternate director nominee as may be designated by the Board.

Board Membership Criteria

The Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines set forth the process by which its Governance Committee identifies, evaluates, and recommends candidates for nomination to the Board. In making its recommendations of director nominees to the Board, the Governance Committee may also consider any advice and recommendations offered by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, other directors, the stockholders of the Company, or any advisors the Governance Committee may retain. Any stockholder wishing to suggest a director candidate should submit his or her suggestion in writing to the attention of the Corporate Secretary of the Company, providing the candidate’s name and qualifications for service as a Board member, a document signed by the candidate indicating the candidate’s willingness to serve, if elected, and evidence of the stockholder’s ownership of the Company’s stock. Any stockholder who wishes to formally recommend individuals for nomination to the Board may do so in accordance with the Company’s Bylaws, which will be held on May 6, 2016, at 11:00 a.m., Central Time,require advance notice to the Company and certain other information. If you are interested in recommending a director candidate, you may request a free copy of the Company’s Bylaws by writing to the Secretary of the Company at 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523 (the “Special Meeting”).60523.

The current membership of the Board represents a diverse mix of directors in terms of background and expertise. In considering whether to recommend persons to be nominated for directors, the Governance Committee will apply the criteria set forth in the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, which include but are not limited to:

Business experience;
Integrity;
Absence of conflict or potential conflict of interest;
Ability to make independent analytical inquiries;
Understanding of the Company’s business environment; and
Willingness to devote adequate time to Board duties.

While the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines do not prescribe specific diversity standards, they do provide that the Board will seek a diversified membership for the Board as a whole, in terms of both the personal characteristics of individuals involved and their various experiences and areas of expertise. When identifying and evaluating candidates, the Governance Committee, as a matter of practice, also considers whether there are any evolving needs of the Board that require experience in a particular field and may consider additional factors it deems appropriate. The Governance Committee does not assign specific weights to any particular criterion and no particular criterion is necessarily applicable to all prospective nominees. The Governance Committee also conducts regular reviews of current directors who may be proposed for re-election and their past contributions to the Board.

3

Under the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, no director may be nominated for re-election following his or her 72nd birthday. On the recommendation of the Governance Committee, the Board may waive this requirement as to any director if it deems a waiver to be in the best interest of the Company.

The Corporate Governance Guidelines are made available on the Company’s website.

Director Resignation Policy

In Januaryan uncontested election (i.e., an election where the number of nominees is not greater than the number of directors to be elected), any nominee for director who receives a greater number of votes “withheld” from his or her election than votes “for” such election (a “Majority Withheld Vote”) shall promptly tender his or her resignation following certification of the stockholder vote. The Governance Committee shall promptly consider the resignation offer and make a recommendation to the Board. The Board will act on the Governance Committee’s recommendation within 90 days following certification of the stockholder vote. Thereafter, the Board will promptly publicly disclose its decision regarding whether to accept the director’s resignation offer. Any director who tenders his or her resignation shall not participate in the Governance Committee recommendation or Board action regarding whether to accept the resignation offer. However, if each member of the Governance Committee receives a Majority Withheld Vote at the same election, then all non-employee directors on the Board who did not receive a Majority Withheld Vote shall appoint a committee amongst themselves to consider the resignation offers and recommend to the Board whether to accept them.

Director Nominees Qualifications and Experience

Below is certain biographical and other information regarding the persons nominated for election as directors, which is based upon statements made or confirmed to the Company by or on behalf of these nominees, except to the extent certain information appears in the Company’s records. Ages shown for all nominees are as of the date of the Annual Meeting. Following each nominee’s biographical information, the Company has also provided additional information regarding the particular experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that informed the Governance Committee and the Board’s determination that such nominee should serve as a director.

The Company’s directors have a variety of qualifications, skills and experience that contribute to an effective and well-functioning Board, including the following key characteristics:

Wealth of leadership experience;
Demonstrated business acumen and ability to exercise sound business judgment;
Extensive board and/or financial experience; and
Reputation for integrity, honesty and adherence to the highest ethical standards.

4

Director Nominees

Jeffrey A. BrodskyAge: 60
Director since 2017
Independent
Audit (Chair) and Governance Committees
Background:
Mr. Brodsky is a co-founder and Managing Director of Quest Turnaround Advisors, LLC where he provides advisory and interim management services to boards of directors, senior management and creditors of companies. Currently, Mr. Brodsky leads Quest’s activities as plan administrator for Adelphia Communications Corporation (2007 – Present), a now delisted cable television company, and trust administrator for the Adelphia Recovery Trust (2007 – Present), a Delaware Statutory Trust. He also serves as a director of Her Justice (2010 – Present), a non-profit organization that provides free legal assistance to women living in poverty in New York City. Recently, Mr. Brodsky oversaw Quest’s activities as liquidating trust manager of the ResCap Liquidating Trust (2013 – 2015), a Liquidating Trust formed in connection with Residential Capital, LLC’s Plan of Reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, where he led all activities relating to ResCap’s emergence and management of its operations, including the distribution of over $2.2 billion to beneficiaries. Previously, Mr. Brodsky has served in roles as a lead director, a non-executive chairman, or a director of various entities.
Current Public Company Directorships:None
Other Public Company Directorships during Past Five Years:Broadview Networks, Inc. (2012-2017) (publicly registered debt)
Horizon Lines, Inc. (2011-2015) (delisted)
Euramax Holdings, Inc. (2009-2015) (publicly registered debt)
Skills and Qualifications:
Mr. Brodsky’s individual qualifications and skills as a director include his extensive experience in financing, mergers, acquisitions, investments, strategic transactions, and turnaround/performance management. Mr. Brodsky holds a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University College of Business and Public Administration and a Master of Business Administration degree from New York University Graduate School of Business. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Jonathan B. MellinAge: 55
Director since 2014
Independent
Governance (Chair) and Audit Committees
Background:
Mr. Mellin is President and Chief Executive Officer of Simpson Estates, Inc., a private asset management firm. Mr. Mellin became President of Simpson Estates, Inc. in 2012, prior to being appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in 2013. Mr. Mellin previously served as CFO for the Connors Family group of companies, from 2005 to 2012.
Current Public Company Directorships:Angelo Gordon Energy Fund II (2017 – Present) (registered investment company)
Other Public Company Directorships during Past Five Years:None
Skills and Qualifications:
Mr. Mellin’s individual qualifications and skills as a director include his extensive financial background, annual business planning, forecasting, and expense reduction expertise and strong background and experience in strategic transactions. Mr. Mellin is also a Certified Public Accountant and has served as Chief Financial Officer of large private companies and subsidiaries of publicly-held companies.

5
Jake MercerAge: 44
Director since 2017
Independent
Governance and Human Resources Committees
Background:
Mr. Mercer is Partner and Head of Special Situations and Restructuring for Whitebox Advisors LLC (2007 – Present), an employee-owned hedge fund sponsor. He also serves as a director of Nalpropion Pharmaceuticals (2018 – Present), a private American pharmaceutical company, Malamute Energy, Inc. (2016 – Present), a controlling interest in the Umiat Project, director and Manager of Jerritt Canyon LLC (2015 – Present), a private mid-tier gold producer; and was a director for Piceance Energy, LLC (2012 – 2015), a subsidiary of Laramie Energy II, LLC, a Denver-based company focused on developing unconventional oil and gas reserves within the U.S. Rocky Mountains Piceance Basin. Mr. Mercer previously worked for Xcel Energy (2005 – 2007), a western and mid-western state energy provider, as Assistant Treasurer.
Current Public Company Directorships:Hycroft Mining Corporation (2015 - Present) (OTCMKTS: HYCT)
SAExploration Holdings Inc. (2016-present) (NASDAQ: SAEX)
Adanac Molybdenum Corporation (2015-present) (formerly TSX Venture: AUA)
White Forest Resources, formerly Xinergy Ltd. (2016-present) (formerly TSX: XRG)
Other Public Company Directorships during Past Five Years:Platinum Energy Solutions (2013-2017) (formerly NYSE: FRAC)
Par Pacific Holdings, Inc., formerly Par Petroleum Corporation (2012-2015) (NYSE American: PARR)
Skills and Qualifications:
Mr. Mercer’s individual qualifications and skills as a director include his extensive investment and financial expertise, particularly in public and private debt restructuring, as well as significant turnaround and performance improvement experience. He has served on a number of public and private company boards and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance and Economics from St. John’s University. Mr. Mercer is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Steven W. ScheinkmanAge: 65
Director since 2015
Chairperson
Background:
Mr. Scheinkman is the Chief Executive Officer (2018 – Present) of the Company and Chairperson of the Board (since August 2017). Mr. Scheinkman was previously the President and Chief Executive Officer (2015 – 2018) of the Company. In addition, Mr. Scheinkman previously served as President, Chief Executive Officer and director of Innovative Building Systems LLC (2010 – 2015), a leading custom modular home producer; as President, Chief Executive Officer, and director of Transtar Metals Corp. (1999 - 2006), a supply chain manager/distributor of high alloy metal products for the transportation, aerospace and defense industries; and following Transtar’s acquisition by the Company in September 2006, as President of Transtar Metals Holdings Inc. until September 2007 and thereafter served as its advisor until December 2007. Furthermore, he previously served as a director of Claymont Steel Holdings, Inc. (2006 – 2008), a private manufacturer of custom discrete steel plate.
Current Public Company Directorships:None
Other Public Company Directorships during Past Five Years:None
Skills and Qualifications:
Mr. Scheinkman’s individual qualifications and skills as a director include his extensive experience serving as an executive of various metal products companies, his significant financial expertise, and his significant experience in strategic transactions. He also successfully led the Company’s recent turnaround and financial restructuring.

6
Jonathan SegalAge: 37
Director since 2017
Lead Independent Director
Audit and Human Resources (Chair) Committees
Background:
Mr. Segal is managing director and portfolio manager of Highbridge Capital Management, LLC (2007 – Present), a leading global alternative investment firm. Before joining Highbridge, Mr. Segal previously worked as a Research Analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein  & Co., LLC (2005 – 2007), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AllianceBernstein L.P.
Current Public Company Directorships:Hycroft Mining Corporation (2015 - Present) (OTCMKTS: HYCT)
Other Public Company Directorships during Past Five Years:Contura Energy (2016-2018) (OTCMKTS: CNTE)
Skills and Qualifications:
Mr. Segal’s individual qualifications and skills as a director include his extensive capital markets, investment, and financial expertise; his significant experience in public and private debt restructuring; and his turnaround and performance improvement experience. He has served on a number of public and private company boards and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.
Michael J. SheehanAge: 58
Director since 2017
Human Resources Committee
Background:
Mr. Sheehan is the Managing Member of Whitecap Performance LLC (2013 – Present), a marketing consultancy, Whitecap Aviation (2013 – Present), an aircraft charter operation, and Managing Partner of Allied Sports a division of Allied Global Marketing (2018 – Present). Mr. Sheehan is a Partner of Vermont Donut Enterprises (2013 – Present), a privately-held holding company with related interests in various food purveying businesses. He also serves on the Board of South Shore Bank (2012 – Present), a full service mutual savings bank in Massachusetts. Mr. Sheehan is the former Chief Executive Officer of Boston Globe Media Partners (2014 – 2017), a leading media company. He previously served as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chief Creative Officer of Hill Holliday (2000 – 2014), a full-service marketing and communications agency; and as Executive Vice President and Executive Creative Director for DDB Chicago (1999 – 2000), a full-service advertising agency. He also serves on the Boards of Harvard University’s American Repertory Theater (2011 – Present), a professional not-for-profit theater; Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston (2006 – Present), part of the Catholic Charities network; and Newport Festivals (2017 – Present), a music festival foundation.
Current Public Company Directorships:None
Other Public Company Directorships during Past Five Years:None
Skills and Qualifications:
Mr. Sheehan’s individual qualifications and skills as a director include his extensive experience in managing large public and private companies and in sales and marketing leadership. He attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated from Saint Anselm College in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Mr. Sheehan previously served as a director of the Company from July 27, 2016, to August 31, 2017.

ü Our Board recommends that you vote FOR the proposed director nominees.

7
Corporate Governance

Board Leadership

The Company has no policy that requires the combination or separation of the roles of Chairperson or Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Scheinkman, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, has served as Chairperson of the Board since August 2017, and Mr. Segal, a non-employee independent director, has served as Lead Independent Director since November 2017. In his role as Lead Independent Director, Mr. Segal presides over executive sessions of the independent directors and meetings of the full Board in the absence of the Chairperson.

The Company has historically separated the positions of Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of the Board, allowing its Chief Executive Officer to focus on business strategic growth initiatives, while allowing the Chairperson to lead the Board in its fundamental role of providing advice to, and independent oversight of, management.

Due to Mr. Scheinkman’s familiarity with the Company’s business and his knowledge of the Company’s industry, the Board believes that continuing to combine the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of the Board uniquely positions Mr. Scheinkman to identify strategic priorities and to lead the Board in discussions regarding strategy, business planning, and operations. This structure also allows for efficient decision-making and provides a unified strategic vision and clear leadership for the Company.

The Chairperson of the Board:

Provides strategic leadership and guidance;
Establishes the agendas for Board meetings, with advice from executive and senior management teams;
Advises and consults with the executive and senior management teams regarding strategies, risks, opportunities, and other matters; and
Presides over meetings of the full Board.

While the Board believes the Company’s leadership model provides appropriate oversight and an effective governance structure, it recognizes that, depending on the circumstances, other leadership models, such as separating the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of the Board, might be appropriate. Accordingly, the Board periodically reviews its leadership structure.

Standing Board Committees

The Board has three standing committees: the Audit Committee, the Governance Committee and the Human Resources Committee. Each committee has a written charter adopted by the Board, copies of which are posted under the “Corporate Governance” section of the Company’s website at https://castlemetals.com/investors/corporate-governance.

Each Committee reviews the appropriateness of its charter and performs a self-evaluation at least annually. The Board will review the composition of each committee in light of any expected changes to the Board’s composition as a result of the annual meeting of stockholders each year.

8

The following summarizes the current membership and responsibilities of each of the Company’s three standing Board committees:

Audit CommitteeThe Company’s Audit Committee reviews the Company’s audited financial statements with management; reviews the qualifications, performance and independence of the Company’s independent registered public accountants; approves audit fees and fees for the preparation of the Company’s tax returns; reviews the Company’s accounting policies and internal control procedures; and considers and appoints the Company’s independent registered public accountants. The Audit Committee has the authority to engage the services of independent outside experts and advisors as it deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its duties and responsibilities.
The Audit Committee oversees the annual risk management assessments, monitors reports received on the Company’s incident reporting hotline, oversees the Company’s compliance program, including an annual review of the Company’s Code of Conduct, and prepares the “Report of the Audit Committee” for its stockholders on page 30.
Governance CommitteeThe Company’s Governance Committee oversees all corporate governance matters, including acting as an independent committee evaluating transactions between the Company and directors and officers of the Company; reviewing governance policies and practices; reviewing governance-related legal and regulatory matters that could impact the Company; reviewing and making recommendations on the overall size and composition of the Board and its committees; overseeing Board recruitment, including identification of potential director candidates, evaluating candidates, and recommending nominees for membership to the full Board; and leading the annual self-evaluation of the Board and its committees. The Governance Committee has the authority to engage the services of outside consultants and advisors as it deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its duties and responsibilities.
Human Resources
Committee
The Company’s Human Resources Committee assists the Board in the discharge of its responsibilities with respect to employee compensation including the adoption, periodic review and oversight of the Company’s compensation strategy, policies and plans. The Human Resources Committee approves and administers the incentive compensation and equity-based plans of the Company. The Human Resources Committee has the authority to engage the services of independent outside experts and advisors as it deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its duties and responsibilities.

Director Independence; Financial Expert

While the Company’s stock is currently traded on, the OTCQX market, which requires the Company to establish and maintain fundamental corporate governance standards, the Company has elected to adopt more exacting governance standards that are substantially similar to the NASDAQ listing standards. The Board has affirmatively determined that each current Board member, except for Mr. Scheinkman, is “independent” within the definitions contained in the current NASDAQ listing standards and the standards set by the Board in the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines. Furthermore, the Board has determined that all members of the Company’s Audit Committee meet the financial sophistication requirements of the NASDAQ listing standards. The Board has determined that Mr. Brodsky qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” for purposes of the SEC rules.

9

Board Meetings and Attendance

During 2018, the Board held eight meetings. The Board’s non-employee directors met in regularly scheduled executive sessions to evaluate the performance of the Chief Executive Officer and to discuss other corporate matters. Mr. Steven Scheinkman, presided as the Chairperson of the Board at all of the eight meetings of the Board. Additionally, during 2018, there were four meetings of the Audit Committee, five meetings of the Governance Committee, and five meetings of the Human Resources Committee. Each of the directors attended 75% or more of all the meetings of the Board and the Committees on which he served.

We strongly encourage, but do not require, directors to attend our annual meetings of stockholders. All directors who were nominated for reelection at our 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders attended that meeting.

Non-Employee Director Compensation

Cash Compensation

The Company’s director compensation program provides that the cash compensation paid to, or earned by, its non-employee directors will be comprised of the following components:

RoleAnnual Retainers*
Director$60,000
Non-Employee Board Chairperson$40,000
Audit Committee Chairperson$10,000
Governance Committee Chairperson$5,000
Human Resources Committee Chairperson$7,500
*Retainers are paid in quarterly installments.

Equity-Based Compensation

The equity-based compensation paid to the Company’s non-employee directors in 2018 consisted of restricted stock granted pursuant to the Company’s 2017 Management Incentive Plan. Messrs. Mercer and Segal waived their equity-based compensation for 2018.

In 2018, each director, with the exception of Messrs. Mercer and Segal, received a restricted stock award in an amount valued at $90,000, based upon the 60-day trailing average stock price on the date of grant.

Other Compensation

Reimbursement is made for travel and accommodation expenses incurred to attend meetings and participate in other corporate functions and for the cost of attending one director continuing education program annually. For each director, the Company pays and maintains coverage for personal excess liability, business travel and accident, and director and officer liability insurance policies.

10

Director Compensation Table – Fiscal Year 2018

The following table summarizes the compensation paid to or earned by the non-employee directors for 2018. Any employee of the Company who serves as a director receive no additional compensation for service as a director.

Name Fees
Earned
or
Paid in
Cash
($)
 Stock
Awards
($)(1)
 Change in
Pension Value
and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($)
 All
Other
Compensation
($)
 Total
($)
Jeffrey A. Brodsky(2)  70,000   99,658                                           169,658
Jonathan Mellin  65,000   99,658         164,658
Jacob Mercer(3)  60,000            60,000
Jonathan Segal(4)  67,500            67,500
Michael Sheehan  60,000   99,658         159,658

(1)Stock Awards. On April 25, 2018, Messrs. Brodsky, Mellin and Sheehan received an annual restricted stock award of 22,910 shares of the Company’s common stock.  The amounts shown reflect the grant date fair value computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (ASC Topic 718).  
(2)Mr. Brodsky elected to have his cash compensation paid to Jeffrey Brodsky & Associates, of which he is Managing Director.
(3)Mr. Jacob Mercer elected to have his cash compensation paid to various funds related to Whitebox Advisors LLC.
(4)Mr. Segal elected to have his cash compensation paid to Highbridge Capital Management, LLC.

Oversight of Risk Management

The Board is actively involved in oversight of risks that could affect the Company. The Board implements its risk oversight function as a whole and through delegation to committees, which meet regularly and report back to the full Board. The risk management role of each of the committees is detailed further below:

Board of Directors
Audit CommitteeGovernance CommitteeHuman Resources Committee
Oversees risk related to the Company’s financial statements, financial reporting process and accounting and legal matters; internal audit function; the Company’s compliance program and the Company’s cyber security action plan.; Also reviews outcome of the Company’s periodic Enterprise Risk Assessment, which identifies and evaluates potential material risks that could affect the Company and identifies appropriate mitigation measuresOversees governance-related risk, including development of the Company’s policies and practices, and Board succession planningOversees risks associated with the Company’s compensation programs; reviews and approves compensation features that mitigate risk and align pay to performance with the interests of its executives and its stockholders; and oversees the Company’s succession-planning process for key executive and managerial roles

The full Board retains responsibility for general oversight of risks. Key risks to the Company’s business strategy are considered by the Board as part of the Company’s annual strategy review. Additional information regarding the risks faced by the Company is included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on March 15, 2019.

Code of Conduct

The Board has adopted a Code of Conduct for Directors and a Code of Conduct for Officers. A copy of each Code of Conduct policy can be found on the “Corporate Governance” section of the Company’s website at https://castlemetals.com/investors/corporate-governance.

11

Every director and officer is required to read and follow the Code that is applicable to his or her role. Any waiver of either Code of Conduct requires the approval of the Governance Committee, and must be promptly disclosed to the Company’s stockholders and the public. The Company intends to disclose on the “Corporate Governance” section of its website any material amendments to, or waivers from, the Code of Conduct.

Related Parties

The Company’s Related-Party Transactions Policy governs the review, approval and ratification of transactions involving the Company and related persons where the amount involved exceeds $120,000. Related persons include:

Directors;
Director nominees;
Executive officers;
5% stockholders;
Immediate family members of the above persons; and
Entities in which the above persons have a direct or indirect material interest.

Potential related-party transactions are reviewed by the highest ranking member of the Company’s Legal Department. If the highest ranking member of the Company’s Legal Department determines that the proposed transaction is a related-party transaction for such purposes, the proposed transaction is then submitted to the Governance Committee for review.

The Governance Committee considers all of the relevant facts and circumstances available, including but not limited to:

whether the proposed transaction is on terms that are fair to the Company and no less favorable to the Company than terms that could have been reached with an unrelated third party;
the purpose of, and the potential benefits to, the Company of entering into the proposed transaction;
the impact on a director’s independence, in the event such person is an outside director; and
whether the proposed transaction would present an improper conflict of interest.

In the event that the Company becomes aware of a related-party transaction that has not been previously approved or ratified by the Governance Committee, a similar process will be undertaken by the Governance Committee in order to determine if the existing transaction should continue or be terminated.

A copy of the Company’s Related-Party Transactions Policy can be found on the “Corporate Governance” section of its website at https://castlemetals.com/investors/corporate-governance.

Related-Party Transactions and Relationships

Emergence from Bankruptcy

As previously disclosed, on June 18, 2017 (the “Petition Date”), the Company and four of its subsidiaries (together with the Company, the “Debtors”) filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”) with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in Wilmington, Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”). Also on June 18, 2017, the Debtors filed their Prepackaged Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization with the Bankruptcy Court and on July 25, 2017, the Debtors filed their Amended Prepackaged Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) with the Bankruptcy Court. On August 2, 2017, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order confirming the Plan. On August 31, 2017 (the “Effective Date”), the Plan became effective pursuant to its terms and the Debtors emerged from their Chapter 11 cases. On February 6, 2018, the Bankruptcy Court entered a final order closing the Chapter 11 cases of the Debtors.

Pursuant to the Plan, on the Effective Date, the Company entered into separate Transaction Support Agreements (as amended, modifiedan Indenture with Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee and collateral agent and, pursuant thereto, issued approximately $164.9 million in aggregate original principal amount of its 5.00% / 7.00% Convertible Senior Secured PIK Toggle Notes due 2022 (the “Second Lien Notes”).

The Second Lien Notes are five year senior obligations of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries, secured by a lien on all or supplementedsubstantially all of the assets of the Company, its domestic subsidiaries, and certain of its foreign subsidiaries. The Second Lien Notes are convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock at any time at the initial conversion price of $3.77 per share, which rate is subject to adjustment as set forth in the Second Lien Notes Indenture. Interest on the Second Lien Notes accrues at the rate of 5.00%, except that the Company may, in certain circumstances, pay at the rate of 7.00% in kind.

All outstanding indebtedness of the Debtors under the Company’s 12.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2018 and the Indenture dated February 8, 2016, by and between the Company, as issuer, its guarantors, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, and all outstanding indebtedness of the Debtors under the Company’s 5.25% Convertible Senior Secured Notes due 2019 and the Indenture dated May 19, 2016, by and between the Company, as issuer, its guarantors, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, was discharged and canceled in exchange for Second Lien Notes and new common stock in the Company.

Stockholders Agreement

Pursuant to the date hereof,Plan, on August 31, 2017, the “Support Agreements”Company entered into a Stockholders Agreement (the “Stockholders Agreement”) with holdersHighbridge Capital Management, LLC (“Highbridge”), Whitebox Advisors LLC (“Whitebox”), SGF, Inc. (“SGF”), Corre Partners Management, LLC (“Corre”), Wolverine Flagship Fund Trading Limited (“WFF”), and certain members of the Company’s management. The Stockholders Agreement includes certain customary board designation rights, preemptive rights, transfer restrictions, and tag-along and drag-along rights. For additional information on the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, see the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on August 31, 2017.

Registration Rights Agreement

Pursuant to the Plan, on the Effective Date, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Supporting Holders”“Registration Rights Agreement”) of 89.7%with Highbridge, Whitebox, SGF, Corre and WFF. Under the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company has granted registration rights to those recipients who are party to the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to certain securities of the Company. For additional information on the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, see the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on August 31, 2017.

Highbridge Capital Management, LLC

One of the Company’s current directors, Jonathan Segal, serves as a managing director of, and portfolio manager for, Highbridge. Pursuant to the Plan and the Stockholders Agreement, Highbridge and/or the its affiliates have the right to designate one member of the Board. Mr. Segal was selected by Highbridge. Furthermore, on the Effective Date, in connection with the transactions described above, Highbridge and/or one or more of its affiliates received approximately $49.7 million in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 7.00% Convertible SeniorSecond Lien Notes, due 2017 (the “Existing Convertible Notes”) providing for the terms of exchanges (the “Exchanges”)509,105 shares of the Existing ConvertibleCompany’s new common stock and a cash payment of $4.0 million.

Highbridge has received interest payments, in the amounts of $3,773,825 (in 2018) and 1,163,787, (in 2017) with respect to its Second Lien Notes, for new 5.25% Senior Secured Convertible Notes due 2019 (the “New Convertible Notes”).in each case commensurate with other holders thereof.

Whitebox Advisors LLC

One of the Company’s directors, Jacob Mercer, is the Head of Restructuring and Special Situations at Whitebox. Pursuant to the Support Agreements,Plan and the Supporting Holders agreedStockholders Agreement, Whitebox and/or its affiliates and/or the its affiliates have the right to participatedesignate one member of the New Board. Mr. Mercer was selected by Whitebox. Furthermore, on the Effective Date, in connection with the transactions described above, Whitebox and/or one or more of its affiliates received approximately $46.0 million in aggregate principal amount of Second Lien Notes, 400,876 shares of the Company’s new common stock and a cash payment of $3.6 million.

Whitebox has received interest payments, in the Exchangesamounts of $3,507,348 (in 2018) and vote any$1,078,876, in 2017 with respect to its Second Lien Notes, in each case commensurate with other holders thereof.

Simpson Estates, Inc.

One of the Company’s current directors, Mr. Mellin, serves as the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Simpson Estates. Pursuant to the Plan and the Stockholders Agreement, Simpson Estates and/or its affiliates have the right to designate one member of the Board. Simpson Estates selected Mr. Mellin. Furthermore, on the Effective Date, in connection with the transactions described above, Simpson Estates and/or one or more of its affiliates received approximately $24.9 million in aggregate principal amount of the Second Lien Notes, 206,557 shares of the Company’s new common stock and a cash payment of $2.0 million.

13

Simpson received interest payments, in the amounts of $524,018 (in 2018) and $166,985 (in 2017) with respect to its Second Lien Notes, in each case commensurate with other holders thereof.

Corre Partners Management, LLC

On the Effective Date and in connection with the transactions described above Corre, and/or one or more of its affiliates received approximately $24.2 million in aggregate principal amount of the Company they may hold in favorSecond Lien Notes, 234,554 shares of the proposalsCompany’s new common stock and a cash payment of $3.1 million.

Corre received interest payments, in the amounts of $1,772,614 (in 2018) and $565,620 (in 2017) with respect to its Second Lien Notes, in each case commensurate with other holders thereof.

Wolverine Flagship Fund Trading Limited

On the Effective Date and in connection with the transactions described herein.above, WFF and/or one or more of its affiliates received approximately $8.5 million in aggregate principal amount of the Second Lien Notes, 70,905 shares of the Company’s new common stock and a cash payment of $.7 million.

Additionally,

WFF received interest payments, in the amounts of $623,429 (in 2018) and $198,664 (in 2017) with respect to its Second Lien Notes, in each case commensurate with other holders thereof.

Pursuant to the Plan and Stockholders Agreement, Corre and WFF have the right by mutual agreement to designate one member of the Board; provided that such designated individual who qualifies as an “independent director” under NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 5605(a)(2). Mr. Brodsky was selected by Corre and WFF.

Revolving Credit and Security Agreement

As previously disclosed, on June 1, 2018, the Company entered into agreements with affiliatesan Amendment No. 1 to Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (the “Credit Agreement Amendment”) by and among the Company, the other borrowers and guarantors party thereto and PNC Bank, National Association as the agent and the lenders, which amends that certain Revolving Credit and Security Agreement dated as of W.B. & Co.August 31, 2017 (as amended by the Credit Agreement Amendment, the “Expanded Credit Facility”) to provide for additional borrowing capacity. The Expanded Credit Facility provides for an additional $25 million last out Revolving B credit facility made available in part by way of a participation in the Revolving B credit facility by each of Highbridge in the aggregate amount of approximately $7.6 million, Whitebox in the aggregate amount of approximately $7.1 million, SGF in the aggregate amount of $3.8 million, and FOM Corporation (collectively,Corre in the “Significant Equity Holders”), pursuantaggregate amount of approximately $3.0 million. The Revolving B credit facility will bear interest at 12.0% per annum and which will be paid-in-kind unless the Company elects to whichpay such interest in cash and the Significant Equity Holders have agreedRevolving B payment conditions specified in the Expanded Credit Facility are satisfied. Borrowings under both the existing Revolving B credit facility will mature on February 28, 2022. The Expanded Credit Facility continues to votebe secured by substantially all personal property assets of theirthe Company and its domestic subsidiary guarantors.

14

Stock Ownership

Directors, Director Nominees and Management

The following table sets forth the number of shares and percentage of the Company’s common stock in favorthat was owned beneficially as of March 1, 2019, by each of the proposals contained herein. Collectively,Company’s directors and director nominees, each current member of Executive Management, including those set forth in the Significant Equity HoldersSummary Compensation Table in Proposal 2 hereof, and by all directors, director nominees and executive management as a group, with each person having sole voting and dispositive power except as indicated:

Beneficial OwnerShares of
Common Stock
Beneficially Owned(1)
 Percentage of
Common Stock(2)
Additional
Information
 
Directors and Director Nominees     
Jeffrey A. Brodsky22,910 *  
Jonathan Mellin24,806 *(3) 
Jacob Mercer0 *  
Jonathan Segal0 *  
Michael Sheehan24,576 *  
Management     
Steven Scheinkman, Chief Executive Officer607,127 16.7%(4) 
Patrick Anderson, Executive Vice President, Finance & Administration321,090 8.8%(5) 
Marec Edgar, President321,016 8.8%(5) 
All directors, director nominees and executive officers as a group (8 persons)1,321,525 36.4%(6) 

* Percentage of shares owned equals less than 1%.

(1)Excludes a total of 506,413 shares of common stock owned by executive management, which may be acquired upon conversion of the Company’s Second Lien Notes, because the mode of payment is determined in the sole discretion of the Company and each beneficial owner’s right to obtain shares is therefore subject to a material contingency beyond such beneficial owner’s control.
(2)Based on 3,634,658 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of March 1, 2019.
(3)Represents 24,806 shares held by Mr. Mellin individually. Excludes 325,521 shares Mr. Mellin may be deemed to beneficially own in his capacity as trustee, officer or general partner of certain trusts and other entities established for the benefit of members of the Simpson family. See Note (5) under the “Principal Stockholders” table below. Also excludes 6,608,760 shares of common stock, which may be acquired upon conversion of the Company’s Second Lien Notes, because the mode of payment is determined in the sole discretion of the Company and the beneficial owner’s right to obtain shares is therefore subject to a material contingency beyond his control.
(4)Excludes 246,173 shares of common stock which may be acquired upon conversion of the Company’s Second Lien Notes, because the mode of payment is determined in the sole discretion of the Company and the beneficial owner’s right to obtain shares is therefore subject to a material contingency beyond his control.
(5)Excludes 130,120 shares of common stock which may be acquired upon conversion of the Company’s Second Lien Notes, because the mode of payment is determined in the sole discretion of the Company and the beneficial owner’s right to obtain shares is therefore subject to a material contingency beyond his control.
(6)Excludes 506,413 shares of common stock which may be acquired upon conversion of the Company’s Second Lien Notes, because the mode of payment is determined in the sole discretion of the Company and each beneficial owner’s right to obtain shares is therefore subject to a material contingency beyond such beneficial owner’s control. Ronald Knopp, previously the Company’s Executive Vice President, Operations & IT, passed away on February 3, 2019, and is not included in this table.

15

Principal Stockholders

The only persons who held of record or, to the Supporting Holders hold approximately 48%Company’s knowledge (based on the review of Schedules 13D, 13F and 13G, and amendments thereto), owned beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock as of the Record Date (as defined below).March 1, 2019, are set forth below, with each person having sole voting and dispositive power except as indicated:

Pursuant to the Support Agreements, for each $1,000 principal amount of Existing Convertible Notes validly exchanged in the Exchanges, an exchanging holder of Existing Convertible Notes will receive $700 principal amount of New Convertible Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest. The New Convertible Notes are convertible, under certain circumstances, into cash, shares of our common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of our common stock, at our election, at an initial conversion rate of 444.444 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount (equivalent to an initial conversion price of $2.25 per share of common stock), subject to adjustments, which, after completion

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner Shares of
Common
Stock Beneficially
Owned
 Percentage of
Common Stock (1)
Highbridge Capital Management, LLC/1992 MSF International Ltd.
40 West 57th Street, 32nd Floor
New York, New York 10019
 509,105(2)(6)14%
Whitebox Advisors LLC/Whitebox General Partner LLC
3033 Excelsior Boulevard, Suite 300
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55416
 400,870(3)(6)11%
Corre Partners Advisors, LLC/Corre Partners Management, LLC/
John Barrett/Eric Soderlund
1370 Avenue of the Americas, 29th Floor
New York, New York 10019
 233,472(4)(6)6.4%
W.B. & Co
FOM Corporation
SGF, LLC
The Northern Trust Company
Jonathan B. Mellin
Reuben S. Donnelley
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1232
Chicago, Illinois 60602-2504
 370,993(5)(6)10.2%
(1)Based on 3,634,658 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of March 1, 2019.
(2)Highbridge Capital Management, LLC (“HCM”), the trading manager of 1992 MSF International Ltd. and 1992 Tactical Credit Master Fund, L.P. (together, the “1992 Funds”), may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the shares held by the 1992 Funds. The 1992 Funds disclaim any beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. The business address of HCM is 40 West 57th Street, 32nd Floor, New York, New York 10019 and the business address of the 1992 Funds is c/o HedgeServ (Cayman) Ltd., Willow House, Cricket Square Floor 3, George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-1104, Cayman Islands.
(3)Whitebox Advisors LLC and/or Whitebox General Partner LLC may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of 400,870 shares of common stock, constituting 11% of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock. These shares are directly owned by Pandora Select Partners, L.P., Whitebox Asymmetric Partners, L.P., Whitebox Credit Partners, L.P., Whitebox GT Fund, LP, Whitebox Institutional Partners, L.P., Whitebox Multi-Strategy Partners, L.P. and Whitebox Term Credit Fund I, L.P. (together, the “Private Funds”) and may be deemed to be beneficially owned by (a) Whitebox Advisors LLC by virtue of its role as the investment manager of the Private Funds and/or (b) Whitebox General Partner LLC by virtue of its role as the general partner of the Private Funds. The address of Whitebox Advisors LLC and Whitebox General Partner LLC is 3033 Excelsior Blvd, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55416. Each of the private funds disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein.
(4)Corre Partners Advisors, LLC (the “General Partner”) serves as the general partner of Corre Opportunities Fund, LP, Corre Opportunities Qualified Master Fund, LP and Corre Opportunities II Master Fund, LP (together, the “Corre Funds”), which directly own the shares of common stock. The General Partner has delegated investment authority over the assets of the Funds to Corre Partners Management, LLC (the “Investment Advisor”). Each of Mr. John Barrett and Mr. Eric Soderlund serve as a managing member of the General Partner. The address for each of the General Partner, the Investment Advisor, Mr. Barrett, Mr. Soderlund and the Corre Funds is 12 East 49th Street, Suite 4003, New York, NY 10017. As a result of the relationships described in this footnote (4), each of the General Partner, the Investment Advisor, Mr. Barrett and Mr. Soderlund may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of 233,472 shares of common stock, constituting 6.4% of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock. Each of the foregoing persons disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(5)Includes: (i) shares held by W.B & Co. on behalf of certain members of an extended family group and various trusts, estates and estate planning vehicles established by certain deceased and surviving family members (together, the “Simpson Estate Members”); (ii) shares held by SGF; (iii) shares held by Mr. Donnelley individually, shares held by a member of his household, and shares beneficially owned by Mr. Donnelley in his capacity as general partner of a Simpson Estate member; (iv) shares held by

16
Mr. Mellin individually and shares beneficially owned by Mr. Mellin in his capacity as trustee, officer or general partner of certain Simpson Estate Members; (v) shares held by FOM Corporation (“FOM”) on behalf of certain Simpson Estate Members and shares beneficially owned by FOM Corporation in its capacity as trustee , trust administrator or custodian of certain Simpson Estate Members; and (vi) shares held by The Northern Trust Company in its capacity as trustee of certain Simpson Estate Members. SGF, FOM, W.B. & Co., Mr. Mellin, Mr. Donnelley and The Northern Trust Company may be deemed to constitute a group pursuant to Rule 13d-5(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Each beneficial owner disclaims beneficial ownership of any shares held by any other beneficial owner, except to the extent of any pecuniary interest it may have.
(6)Excludes shares of common stock which may be acquired upon conversion of the Second Lien Notes, because the mode of payment is determined in the sole discretion of the Company and the beneficial owner’s right to obtain shares is therefore subject to a material contingency beyond its control. The beneficial owner disclaims beneficial ownership of any shares of common stock that they might receive upon conversion of the Second Lien Notes. Because of the relationship between the beneficial owner and the other stockholders of the Company party to the Stockholders Agreement, the beneficial owner may be deemed, pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Act, to beneficially own a total of 2,988,799 shares of common stock, which represents the aggregate number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by the parties to the Stockholders Agreement. The beneficial owner disclaims beneficial ownership of any shares of common stock held by any other party to the Stockholders Agreement, except to the extent of any pecuniary interest it may have.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Section 16(a) of the Exchanges, could result inSecurities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, requires the issuanceCompany’s executive officers and directors and beneficial owners of an aggregate of approximately 17.9 million sharesmore than 10% of the Company’s common stock which sharesto file reports of ownership of the Company’s common stock with the SEC and to furnish the Company with a copy of those reports.

Based on the Company’s review of the reports and upon the written confirmation that the Company received from each of its executive officers and directors, the Company believes that all Section 16(a) reports were timely filed in 2018.

17
Proposal No. 2:  Advisory Vote to Approve
Executive Compensation

Stockholders are being asked to approve, on an advisory non-binding basis, the compensation of the Named Executive Officers as described in this Proxy Statement.

Abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on the result of the vote for the non-binding, advisory stockholder vote on the compensation of the Named Executive Officers, although they will be considered present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum.

The Company seeks to closely align the interests of the Named Executive Officers with the interests of the Company’s stockholders. Pay for performance is an essential element of the Company’s compensation philosophy. The Company’s compensation programs are designed to reward the Named Executive Officers for the achievement of short-term and long-term strategic and operational goals, while at the same time avoiding the encouragement of unnecessary or excessive risk-taking.

The Company currently conducts annual advisory votes on executive compensation. At the Company’s 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the stockholders expressed continued support of the executive compensation program with 99% of the stockholders casting votes supporting the proposal.

This Proposal No. 2, commonly known as a “say-on-pay” proposal, is not intended to address any specific element of compensation; rather, your vote relates to the overall compensation structure of the Named Executive Officers, as described in this Proxy Statement. The Company asks you to support the following resolution:

“RESOLVED, that the stockholders APPROVE, on an advisory basis, the compensation paid to the Company’s named executive officers, as disclosed pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K, including the compensation tables, and narrative discussion.”

üOur Board recommends that you vote FOR the advisory vote to approve executive compensation.

18

Executive Compensation

In this section, the Company describes its compensation programs and policies and the material elements of compensation for the year ended December 31, 2018, for its Chief Executive Officer, the principal executive officer (“PEO”), and its two most highly compensated executive officersserving as executive officers at the end of 2018, other than the PEO, whose total compensation was in excess of 20%$100,000. The Company refers to all individuals whose executive compensation is disclosed in this proxy statement as its Named Executive Officers (collectively, the “Named Executive Officers”).

Compensation Consultant

The Human Resources Committee engaged Willis Towers Watson (“Willis”) during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, to periodically consult regarding executive officer and director compensation.

Most recently in March 2018, the Human Resources Committee conducted an independence review regarding its engagement of Willis and concluded that Willis is independent.

The Company’s compensation consultant provides advice to the Human Resources Committee on an as-request basis as follows:

Reviews the Company’s executive compensation program designs and levels, including the mix of total compensation elements, compared to industry peer groups and broader market practices.
Provides information on emerging trends and legislative developments in executive compensation and implications for the Company.
Reviews the Company’s executive stock ownership guidelines, compared to industry peer groups and broader market practices.
Reviews the Company’s director compensation program compared to industry peer groups and broader market practices.

Summary Compensation Table

The table below includes the total compensation paid to or earned by each of the Named Executive Officers for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2018, and 2017.

Name and
Principal
Position
 Year Salary
($)
 Bonus
($)(1)
 Stock
Awards
($)(2)
 Option
Award

 Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
($)(3)
 Change in
Pension Value
and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($)(4)
 All
Other
Compensation
($)(5)
 Total
($)
Steven Scheinkman,
Chief Executive
Officer
 2018 650,000    646,263  238,347 1,534,610
 2017 650,000 476,775 1,906,090  513,744  968,977 4,515,586
Marec Edgar,
President
 2018 431,923    377,815  74,969 884,707
 2017 404,404 311,738 1,007,504  201,546  505,213 2,430,405
Patrick Anderson,
EVP, Finance &
Administration
 2018 312,000    196,862 (550) 67,800 576,112
2017300,000270,0501,007,504 142,268 1,049 484,864 2,205,735
(1)The amounts in this column for 2017 reflect Restructuring Awards paid to the Named Executive Officers upon the successful completion of the Company’s chapter 11 restructuring in August 2017.
(2)The amounts in this column for 2017 reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of stock-based awards (other than stock options) granted in the year pursuant to the Company’s 2017 MIP, computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. These amounts are not paid or realized by the officer. Additional information about these values is included in Note 9 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements contained in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.
(3)Reflects the cash awards under the Company’s STIP (amounts earned during the applicable fiscal year but paid after the end of that fiscal year).

19
(4)Reflects the actuarial change in the present value of the Named Executive Officer’s benefits under the Salaried Pension Plan determined using assumptions consistent with those used in the Company’s financial statements. Pension accruals ceased for all Named Executive Officers in 2008, and Named Executive Officers hired after that date are not eligible for coverage under any pension plan. Accordingly, the amounts reported for the Named Executive Officers do not reflect additional accruals but reflect the fact that each of them is one year closer to “normal retirement age” as defined under the terms of the Salaried Pension Plan as well as changes to other actuarial assumptions. For 2018, there was an actuarial decrease in the present value of the benefits under the Salaried Pension Plan for Mr. Anderson in the amount of $550.
(5)The amounts shown are detailed in the supplemental “All Other Compensation Table – Fiscal Year 2018” below.

All Other Compensation Table – Fiscal Year 2018

The table below provides additional information about the amounts that appear in the “All Other Compensation” column in the Summary Compensation Table above:

Name Note
Award
(1)
 401(k) Plan
Company
Matching
Contributions
($)
 Deferred Plan
Company
Matching
Contributions
($)
 Housing
Reimbursement
($)
 Miscellaneous
($)(2)
 Total All Other
Compensation
($)
 
Steven Scheinkman 61,776 11,000 34,550 117,727 13,294 238,347 
Patrick Anderson 32,653 5,076 13,094  16,977 67,800 
Marec Edgar 32,653 11,000 14,339  16,977 74,969 
(1)The amounts reported in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of Second Lien Notes granted under the 2017 MIP computed in accordance with ASC Topic 718. Additional information about these values is included in Note 9 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements contained in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, and the amounts paid in PIK interest pursuant to the terms of the Second Lien Notes during 2018.
(2)Includes the cost, including insurance, fuel and lease payments, of a Company-provided automobile or vehicle stipend, a cellular telephone allowance, and personal excess liability insurance premiums paid by the Company.

Elements of Compensation

The Company has three elements of total direct compensation: base salary, annual incentives, and long-term incentives, which are described in the following table. The Company also provides the Named Executive Officers with limited perquisites and standard retirement and benefit plans (see the sections below entitled “Retirement Benefits” and “Perquisites and Other Personal Benefits”).

2018 Total Compensation Pay Mix(1)

 

(1)Reflects target annual total direct compensation (e.g., excludes special one-time awards and equity grants such as promotional/hire on grants or the restructuring awards received in 2017). Only tranche A of the 2017 MIP, over its three year life, was included in this analysis. Any awards that may be made in the future from tranche B have not been included.  For more information on the MIP see below section titled “2017 Management Incentive Plan”.

The Company continues to make enhancements to its compensation program to further align leadership performance by focusing on future stock price appreciation to increase value to the Company’s stockholders.

20
Pay
Element
Description
and Purpose
Actions and Recent
Enhancements
Link to Business and
Talent Retention
Base Salary

·Fixed compensation recognizes individual performance, seniority, scope of responsibilities, leadership skills, experience, and succession planning considerations.

·Reviewed annually.

·Mr. Anderson’s salary increased in July 2018 to recognize superior performance and enhanced role and responsibilities.

·Mr. Edgar’s salary increased in connection with his appointment as President of the Company to reflect his enhanced role and responsibilities.

·Competitive base salaries help attract and retain executive talent.

·Increases are not automatic or guaranteed.

Annual
Incentives

·Variable compensation based on performance against annually established targets and individual performance.

·Designed to reward executives for annual performance on key operational and financial measures, as well as individual performance.

·Focused programs on branch, function, and whole-Company profitability as well as individual employee performance; for 2018, the Company’s main goals were to focus on continued growth, while ensuring strong EBITDA and inventory performance.

·Metrics and targets are evaluated each year for alignment with business strategy.

·Consistent with strategy to focus on growth, incentive was based on the executive management team’s individual efforts in generative revenue while simultaneously driving EBITDA and inventory performance.

Long-Term
Incentives

·Variable equity compensation; payable in the form of equity or other securities of the Company.

·Designed to drive sustainable performance that delivers long-term value to stockholders and directly ties the interests of executive to those of stockholders.

·The Human Resources Committee reviews the equity metrics annually.

·For 2018, the equity as provided is in the Management Incentive Plan, generally a mix of restricted stock and other securities of the Company.

·The Company’s long-term incentive program is designed to focus on stock price appreciation.

Base Salary

With the exception of the CEO, whose compensation was reviewed and recommended by the Human Resources Committee and approved by the independent members of the Board, the Human Resources Committee reviewed and approved the base salaries of the Named Executive Officers in 2018. In each case, the Human Resources Committee took into account the CEO’s recommendation, as well as experience, internal equity, the performance of each Named Executive Officer during the year, and external competitive compensation data, among other factors. Fixed compensation recognizes individual performance, seniority, scope of responsibilities, leadership skills, experience, and succession planning considerations.

Annual Incentives

Annual incentives are awarded under the Company’s Short-Term Incentive Program (“STIP”) and are subject to the terms of the A. M. Castle & Co. 2017 Management Incentive Plan (“MIP”). The purpose of the STIP is to provide variable compensation based on Company performance against annually established key operational and financial

21

measures, as well as individual performance. Metrics and targets under the STIP are evaluated each year for alignment with business strategy.

2018 STIP Payouts

For the 2018 STIP, the Board approved a plan for the Named Executive Officers that focused on three metrics: (1) top-line revenue performance; (2) EBITDA performance; and (3) net working capital improvement performance. However, based on the Company’s overall performance in 2018, the Human Resources Committee and full Board exercised their discretion, in accordance with the STIP plan, to adjust the 2018 STIP payouts downward.

2017 Management Incentive Plan

At the Company’s emergence from restructuring proceedings on August 31, 2017, the MIP became effective. The Human Resources Committee administers the MIP and has broad authority under the MIP, among other things, to: (i) select participants; (ii) determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the MIP, of any award granted under the MIP; (iii) determine the number of shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding prior to such issuancebe covered by each award granted under the MIP; and will have in excess(iv) to determine the fair market value of 20% ofawards granted under the voting power inMIP. Persons eligible to receive awards under the Company before such issuance.

In addition, an affiliateMIP include officers and employees of the Company Raging Capital Management, LLC and certainits subsidiaries. The types of its affiliates (the “Raging Capital Group”), will hold $2.94 million in aggregate principal amountawards that may be granted under the MIP include stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units, performance shares, and other forms of cash or stock based awards.

The Company grants long-term incentive awards under the New Convertible Notes followingMIP to the Exchanges, which could result in the issuance of approximately 1.3 million sharesNamed Executive Officers to reward performance over a multi-year time period. Equity-based compensation remains an important component of the Company’s common stock upon conversion, which is in excess of 1%overall compensation strategy to align the interests of the Named Executive Officers with the interests of its stockholders and serves as an important tool for the Company with respect to attracting and retaining executive talent.

Retirement Benefits

The following retirement plans are generally available to all non-union, salaried employees, including the Named Executive Officers:

Salaried Pension Plan. The Company maintains the Salaried Employees Pension Plan (the “Salaried Pension Plan”), a qualified, noncontributory defined benefit pension plan covering eligible salaried employees who meet certain age and service requirements. As of June 30, 2008, the benefits under the Salaried Pension Plan were frozen. There are no enhanced pension formulas or benefits available to the Named Executive Officers.  Of the current Named Executive Officers, only Mr. Anderson is eligible to receive benefits under the Salaried Pension Plan.
401(k) Savings and Retirement Plan. The Company maintains the 401(k) Savings and Retirement Plan (the “401(k) Plan”), a qualified defined contribution plan, for its employees in the United States who work full-time. There are no enhanced 401(k) benefits available to the Named Executive Officers. Refer to the All Other Compensation Table above for the Company’s contributions to each Named Executive Officer under the 401(k) Plan.

The Company also maintains the following plan that is available to a limited number of sharessenior management employees, including the Named Executive Officers:

Supplemental 401(k) Savings and Retirement Plan. The Company maintains an unfunded, nonqualified, deferred compensation plan, the Supplemental 401(k) Plan (the “Supplemental 401(k) Plan”), for its executive officers and senior management. The Supplemental 401(k) Plan has investment options that mirror the Company’s 401(k) Plan and provide participants with the ability to save for retirement with additional tax-deferred funds that otherwise would have been limited due to IRS compensation and benefit limitations. Refer to the All Other Compensation Table above for the Company’s contributions to each participating Named Executive Officer under the Supplemental 401(k) Plan.

Perquisites and Other Personal Benefits

The Company provides the following limited perquisites to the Named Executive Officers: automobile usage or stipends; phone allowances; personal excess liability coverage policy; reimbursement of spousal travel expenses on Company business in certain limited instances; and medical, dental, life insurance, short-term, and long-term

disability coverage (standard benefits available to most of its employees). In 2018, Mr. Scheinkman, who is required to maintain a residence in Chicago as CEO of the Company, was provided a monthly living allowance towards living expenses.

Employment-Related Agreements

To assure stability and continuity of management, the Company has entered into Amended and Restated Employment Agreements, with each of the Named Executive Officers (each, an “Employment Agreement”). Messrs. Scheinkman and Anderson’s Employment Agreements are dated as of May 15, 2017, and Mr. Edgar’s Employment Agreement is dated as of December 14, 2018, and was entered into in connection with his appointment to the office of President.

Executive Compensation Philosophy

Each year, the Human Resources Committee reviews and approves the Company’s common stock outstandingoverall Compensation Philosophy and Strategy. Pay for performance is an essential element of the Company’s executive compensation philosophy. The Company’s executive compensation programs are designed so that a significant portion of an executive’s compensation is dependent upon the performance of the Company. Measures of financial performance for short-term and long-term incentive programs, and the use of equity, are intended to align compensation with the creation of stockholder value. Target and maximum performance goals under incentive programs are selected so as to generate target or maximum payouts, commensurate with performance, respectively.

These programs are designed to provide a total compensation opportunity for the Named Executive Officers that is competitive with the total compensation opportunity offered to executives with similar responsibilities at comparable companies, also known as the “market median guideline.” Actual compensation will differ from the targeted opportunity based on actual Company performance. Total compensation is the aggregate of the following categories: (i) base salary; (ii) short-term incentive compensation; and (iii) long-term incentive compensation. In reviewing the Named Executive Officers’ target total cash compensation and total direct compensation opportunities, the Human Resources Committee generally uses the fiftieth percentile of the competitive market data (“market median,” as described below) as a guideline. In 2018, based on Company performance, and corresponding incentive plan achievement, the actual total cash compensation and actual total direct compensation of the Named Executive Officers was consistent with this market median evaluation. Other factors considered by the Human Resources Committee in setting each Named Executive Officer’s opportunity are experience, internal equity (rational linkage between job responsibilities and total compensation opportunities across all jobs within the Company), individual executive performance, and the alignment between Company performance and executive pay.

Executive Compensation Process

Oversight of the Executive Compensation Programs

The Human Resources Committee oversees the Company’s executive compensation programs, operating under a charter that is reviewed annually and approved by the Board. All members of the Human Resources Committee are required to be independent under the NASDAQ listing standards definitions of “Independence”. The Human Resources Committee seeks the assistance of an executive compensation consultant, who is engaged periodically and is also independent of the Company and management.

Process for the CEO

Early each year, the Board meets in executive session with the CEO to discuss the CEO’s prior year performance, and to such issuance.identify tentative goals for the upcoming year.

As with the process for the other Named Executive Officers, the Human Resources Committee considers individual performance, Company performance, and the analysis of its compensation consultant, as requested, when setting the CEO’s compensation. The Human Resources Committee develops recommendations for CEO compensation for the upcoming year for consideration by the Board.

The Board meets annually, without the CEO present, to consider the recommendations of the Human Resources Committee, determine any compensation adjustments applicable to the CEO, and finalize the CEO’s goals and objectives for the upcoming year. The independent members of the Board then meet with the CEO.

 

23

Process for Executives other than the CEO

Because

The Company utilizes a formal performance management process to establish goals for its executive officers, including the Named Executive Officers, and to evaluate management performance. The Human Resources Committee annually reviews the performance of the executive officers with the CEO and the CEO’s recommendation for any changes in the executive officers’ compensation.

The CEO’s performance review of the executive officers addresses each executive’s performance relative to established financial and personal objectives and specific project assignments, and includes a review of the following leadership competencies:

Strategic leadership;
Driving execution;
Cross-functional alignment and collaboration;
Decision making;
Talent management;
Engaging and influencing others; and
Business, financial, and other relevant subject matter acumen.

In addition to the reviews of individual executive performance, the Human Resources Committee takes into account the overall performance of the Company (as related to the short term and long term incentive plans), as well as the analysis and findings of its executive compensation consultant, as requested, regarding market pay levels and practices.

The Human Resources Committee also reviews and approves the material terms of any employment, severance, and change-in-control agreements with the Named Executive Officers, with a view to approving terms that are competitive in the marketplace and that serve to attract, motivate and retain executives.

Benchmarking

In order to establish the market median guideline, the Human Resources Committee reviews competitive market compensation data periodically, including industry compensation data provided by its executive compensation consultant as requested. For 2018, the Human Resources Committee’s executive compensation consultant assembled market pay data from published executive compensation surveys including Willis Towers Watson 2017 CBD Executive Compensation Survey, Willis Towers Watson 2017 CSR Executive Compensation Survey and Mercer 2017 MBD Executive Compensation Survey. The survey data was scoped to reflect practices of organizations in the manufacturing industry and were regressed to reflect the Company’s commonannual revenue.

24

Additional Executive Compensation Information and Policies

Stock Ownership Guidelines

The Company maintains an executive stock ownership guideline for ownership of the Company’s stock by the Named Executive Officers. The program is listeddesigned to further strengthen alignment between the interests of executive management and those of the Company’s stockholders. The guidelines currently provide the following:

Named Executive Officers must reach stock ownership levels (provided in table below) within five years of their appointment as an officer.
Until the Named Executive Officer meets the stock ownership requirement, the Named Executive Officer must retain 100% of the after-tax shares of vested restricted stock and 100% of the net after-tax shares of an option exercise.
After the Named Executive Officer meets the stock ownership requirement, the Named Executive Officer must retain at least 50% of the after-tax shares of vested restricted stock and 100% of the net after-tax shares of an option exercise for a period of six months.
Compliance reports are presented to the Human Resources Committee on an annual basis.
Shares owned outright and beneficially, shares held in nonqualified retirement plans, performance-based shares earned but not yet paid, time-based restricted stock and restricted stock units, and vested stock options count toward satisfaction of the ownership guidelines. Unexercised, vested stock options are valued at the amount recognized by the Company for financial statement reporting purposes.
Unvested stock options and unearned performance shares do not help satisfy ownership requirements.

The table below describes the ownership guidelines for each Named Executive Officer actively employed as of December 31, 2018.

Name Ownership
Requirement as a
% of Base Salary
 Number of
Shares
Required(1)
 Number of
Shares
Owned
 Date to Meet
Requirements
Steven Scheinkman 500% 865,322 607,127 04/16/2020
Marec Edgar 400% 505,880 321,016 11/05/2023
Patrick Anderson 300% 263,590 321,090 09/26/2019
(1)The ownership value will be calculated based on the executive’s base salary and the “fair market value” of the stock at the time that the ownership value is measured, rather than at the time of the initial acquisition of the stock. For purposes of this valuation, “fair market value” of the stock shall equal the average stock price of the Company’s common stock for the 200-day period prior to the measurement date, and in the case of vested unexercised stock options the “fair market value” shall equal the dollar value of those awards recognized by the Company for financial statement reporting purposes.

Severance and Change in Control Benefits

In order to attract and retain an appropriate caliber of talent, the Company provides the Named Executive Officers with the opportunity to be protected under severance and change in control agreements.

Compensation Recovery Policy

The Company has adopted a compensation recovery (or “clawback”) policy that requires paid incentive compensation to be recovered by the Company to the extent such compensation would have been lower due to restated financial results. The Human Resources Committee has the authority to calculate the amount of any overpayment and, in its sole discretion, to seek to recover amounts determined to have been inappropriately received by any current or former executive of the Company.

The clawback policy provides that overpayments of compensation should be recovered within twelve months after an applicable restatement of financial results.

25

Anti-Hedging and Anti-Pledging Policy

Under the Company’s Insider Trading Policy, its directors and executive officers are prohibited from (i) hedging the economic interest in the Company’s securities, and (ii) purchasing securities on margin, holding Company securities in a margin account, or pledging Company securities as collateral for a loan.

Tax and Accounting Implications of Executive Compensation

Code 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), places a limit of $1,000,000 on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”),amount of compensation that the Company may deduct in any one year with respect to each of the Named Executive Officers, with the exception of its Chief Financial Officer for the tax years commencing before the 2018 fiscal year. There is an exception to the $1,000,000 limitation for performance-based compensation for the tax years commencing before the 2018 fiscal year that meets certain requirements. To the extent deemed necessary and appropriate by the Human Resources Committee, the Company’s short- and long-term incentive plan awards may be designed to be performance-based to meet the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code, so that such amounts may be excluded from the $1,000,000 cap on compensation for deductibility purposes. The following types of compensation generally do not meet the requirements of performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code:

Base salary;
Discretionary bonuses; and
Restricted stock awards.

In December 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Act”) eliminates the exemption from Section 162(m)’s deduction limit for performance based compensation, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, unless it qualifies for transition relief applicable to certain arrangements in place as of November 2, 2017. In addition, the Tax Act broadened the list of persons who may be covered by the deduction limit under Section 162(m) to include the principal financial officer and other current and former executive officers. As result of the Tax Act, beginning with the Company’s 2018 tax year, compensation paid to any of its named executive officers, including performance-based compensation in excess of $1 million generally will not be deductible, with the exception of certain compensation payment arrangements in place as of November 2, 2017.

While the Company’s shareholder approved incentive plans were previously structured to provide that certain awards could be made in a manner intended to qualify for the performance-based compensation exemption, that exemption is no longer be available for 2018 and future tax years (other than with respect to certain “grandfathered” arrangements as noted above). In addition, while the Human Resources Committee intended that certain incentive awards granted to our named executive officers on or prior to November 2, 2017 be deductible as “performance-based compensation” and has assessed the possibility that certain awards will be grandfathered from the changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, it cannot guarantee that result. The Human Resources Committee has taken the potential impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into consideration when approving payout amounts for performance periods ending on December 31, 2018.

All of the Company’s incentive awards and individual incentive awards are subject to Federal income, FICA, and other tax withholding as required by applicable law. The Human Resources Committee has the discretion to adjust STIP and MIP award payments, subject to the NYSE’s rulesterms of those plans and regulations. Rule 312.03(c)any individual employment or other relevant agreements with the affected executive(s). In doing so, the Human Resources Committee historically considers the requirements of Section 162(m) of the NYSE Listed Company Manual (“NYSE Rule 312.03(c)”) requires stockholder approval priorCode. While the Human Resources Committee generally intends to provide incentive compensation opportunities to the issuance of common stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock,Company’s executives in any transaction or series of transactions if (i)as tax-efficient a manner as possible, the common stock to be issued has, or will have upon issuance, voting power equal to or in excess of 20% of the voting power outstanding before the issuance of such stock or of securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock, or (ii) the number of shares of common stock to be issued is, or will be upon issuance, equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of shares of common stock outstanding before the issuance of the common stock or of securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock (the “20% Issuance Approval”).

Further, Rule 312.03(b) of the NYSE Listed Company Manual (“NYSE Rule 312.03(b)” and together with NYSE Rule 312.03(c), “NYSE Rule 312”) requires stockholder approval prior to the issuance of common stock, or of securities convertible into common stock, in any transaction or series of related transactions, to (1) a director, officer or substantial security holder of the company (each a “Related Party”); (2) a subsidiary, affiliate or other closely-related person of a Related Party; or (3) any company or entity in which a Related Party has a substantial direct or indirect interest, if the number of shares of common stock to be issued, or if the number of shares of common stock into which the securitiesrecognizes that at times it may be convertible, exceeds either 1%in the best interests of stockholders to provide non-deductible incentive compensation, and the number of shares of commonCompany specifically reserves the right to do so and considers this potential cost in determining compensation payments. The Company accounts for stock-based payments, including stock or 1% ofoptions, restricted stock and the voting power outstanding before the issuance (the “Related Party Approval” and together with the 20% Issuance Approval, the “Issuance Proposal”).

At the special meeting,performance share awards in accordance with NYSE Rule 312, youthe requirements of ASC Topic 718.

26

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2018 Fiscal Year-End

The following table sets forth information on the holdings of stock options and stock awards by the Named Executive Officers as of the end of 2018.

 Option AwardsStock Awards
NameNumber of
Securities
Underlying
Un-exercised
Options (#)
Exercisable
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Un-exercised
Options (#)
Unexercisable
Option
Exercise
Price
($)
Option
Expiration
Date
Number
of
Shares
or
Units
of
Stock
That
Have
Not
Vested
(#) (1)
Market
Value
of
Shares
or
Units
of
Stock
That
Have
Not
Vested
($) (2)
Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights That
Have Not
Vested
(#) (3)(4)
Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Market or
Payout
Value of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
That Have
Not Vested
($) (5)
Steven Scheinkman 607,0351,723,979244,556694,539
Patrick Anderson 320,861911,245129,265367,113
Marec Edgar 320,861911,245129,265367,113

(1)The vesting schedule for the shares included in this column for each of the Named Executive Officers is as follows:
Mr. Scheinkman:
607,035 will vest on August 31, 2020.
Mr. Anderson:
320,861 will vest on August 31, 2020.
Mr. Edgar:
320,861 will vest on August 31, 2020.
(2)Market value has been computed by multiplying the closing price of the Company’s common stock on December 31, 2018, $2.84, by the number of shares of stock.
(3)Represents shares of the Company’s common stock which may be acquired upon conversion Second Lien Notes issued pursuant to the MIP as described in the above section entitled, “Grant of 2017 MIP,” and the amounts paid in PIK interest pursuant to the terms of the Second Lien Notes during 2018.
(4)The vesting schedule for the shares included in this column for each of the Named Executive Officers is as follows:
Mr. Scheinkman:
244,556 shares convertible from Second Lien Notes (and accompanying PIK interest paid pursuant to their terms) will vest on August 31, 2020.
Mr. Anderson:
129,265 shares convertible from Second Lien Note (and accompanying PIK interest paid pursuant to their terms) will vest on August 31, 2020.
Mr. Edgar:
129,265 shares convertible from Second Lien Notes (and accompanying PIK interest paid pursuant to their terms) will vest on August 31, 2020.
(5)

Market value has been computed by multiplying the closing price of the Company’s common stock on December 31, 2018, $2.84, by the number of convertible notes.

27

Equity Compensation Plan Information

This table provides information regarding the equity authorized for issuance under the Company’s equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2018.

Plan Category(a)
Number of Securities
to be issued upon
exercise of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
 (b)
Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding
options, warrants
and rights ($)
 (c)
Number of securities remaining
available for future issuances under
equity compensation plans
(excluding securities reflected in
column (a))
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders698,731(1)3.77(2)3,253,364
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holdersN/A N/A N/A
(1)This number represents the gross number of underlying shares of common stock associated with the Second Lien Notes issued under the Company’s the 2017 MIP, and the amounts paid in PIK interest pursuant to the terms of the Second Lien Notes during 2017. This does not include 1,803,115 shares of non-vested restricted stock issued under the 2017 MIP and outstanding as of December 31, 2018.
(2)Based on an initial conversion rate of 0.2654 shares of common stock per $1.00 principal amount of the Company’s the Second Lien Notes. The conversion rate is subject to adjustment from time to time pursuant to the terms of the indenture governing the Second Lien Notes. Because the conversion price of the Second Lien Notes is subject to downward adjustment, the Second Lien Notes may be convertible, including in connection with a Fundamental Change (as defined in the indenture governing the Second Lien Notes), into a greater number of shares in the future. In addition, the Company may, in certain circumstances, pay interest on the Second Lien Notes in kind, which would result in additional Second Lien Notes outstanding and available for conversion.

28

Proposal No. 3: Ratification of Appointment of Auditors

Stockholders are being asked to ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”), a registered public accounting firm, to serve as the Company’s Independent Auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019. Although the Audit Committee has the sole authority to appoint the independent auditors, as a matter of good corporate governance, the Board submits its selection of the independent auditors to the Company’s stockholders for ratification. If the stockholders should not ratify the appointment of Deloitte, the Audit Committee will reconsider the appointment.

Abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on the result of the vote for the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte, although they will be askedconsidered present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum.

Deloitte has been the Company’s independent auditor since 2002 and has been appointed by the Audit Committee as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019. If the appointment of Deloitte as auditor for 2019 is not approved by the Company’s stockholders, the Audit Committee will consider whether it is appropriate to consider and vote onselect another independent registered public accounting firm. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may select a proposal to approve the Issuance Proposal.

Our Board of Directors believesdifferent independent registered public accounting firm at any time during 2019 if it determines that the Issuance Proposal issuch a change would be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholdersstockholders.

A representative from Deloitte will be present at the Annual Meeting and therefore, recommends that you vote “FOR”will have the Issuance Proposal.opportunity to make a statement. The representative will also be available to respond to appropriate questions.

üOur Board recommends that you vote FOR the ratification of the appointment of
Deloitte & Touche LLP as independent auditors.

29

Audit Committee Matters

Audit and Non-Audit Fees

The proxy statement attachedfollowing table sets forth the aggregate fees billed or expected to this letter provides you with information aboutbe billed by Deloitte for professional services incurred for the Issuance Proposalyears ended December 31, 2018, and 2017, on the Special MeetingCompany’s behalf:

Fee Category2018 2017
 Audit Fees$864,497 $1,677,253
 Audit-Related Fees47,390 99,700
 Tax Fees108,038 362,746
 All Other Fees 
 Total Fees1,019,925 $2,139,699

A description of the type of services provided in each category is as follows:

Audit Fees

Consists of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audits of the Company’s stockholders. We encourage youannual financial statements on Form 10-K and internal controls over financial reporting, review of the interim financial statements included in the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other services normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.

Audit-Related Fees

Consists of fees billed for professional services rendered for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to read the entire proxy statement carefully. You may also obtain more information aboutperformance of the audit or review of the Company’s financial statements.

Tax Fees

Tax fees consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning. These services include assistance with the preparation of various tax returns.

Pre-Approval Policy for Audit and Non-Audit Services

The Audit Committee has adopted a policy for the pre-approval of all audit and permitted non-audit services to be provided by the Company’s independent auditor. Also, specific pre-approval by the Audit Committee is required for any proposed services exceeding pre-approved cost levels. The Audit Committee periodically reviews reports summarizing all services provided by the independent auditor. In 2018, the Audit Committee pre-approved all audit and non-audit services provided to the Company from documents we have filedin accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information” in the accompanying proxy statement.Audit Committee pre-approval policy.

Regardless

Report of the numberAudit Committee

The Audit Committee assists the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. In addition, the Board of sharesDirectors of our common stock you own, your votethe Company has determined that Mr. Brodsky qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by the rules and regulations of the SEC and meets the qualifications of  “financial sophistication” under the NASDAQ listing standards. The Audit Committee acts under a written charter that is important. Whether orreviewed by the Audit Committee at least annually.

Responsibilities

The Company’s management team is responsible for the preparation, presentation, and integrity of its consolidated financial statements, accounting and financial reporting principles, internal controls over financial reporting, and disclosure controls.

30

2018 Audit Committee Actions

Held private meetings following its regularly scheduled meeting with the company’s management team, internal audit lead, and Deloitte, during which candid discussions regarding financial management, legal, accounting, auditing, and internal control issues took place.
Met with the General Counsel to discuss the effectiveness of the Company’s compliance program and regularly received status reports on compliance and incident hotline reporting matters.
Received regular updates from internal audit regarding the process to assess the adequacy of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, the framework used to make the assessment, and management’s conclusions of the effectiveness of the internal controls over financial reporting.
Reviewed and discussed with management and Deloitte, the Company’s audited financial statements, earnings releases and quarterly and annual reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K prior to filing with the SEC.
Reviewed the internal audit function performance and upcoming year’s plan.
Reviewed with management, internal audit, and Deloitte, the overall audit scope and plans, the results of internal and external audit examinations, evaluations by management and Deloitte, and the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting and the quality of the Company’s financial reporting.
Reviewed with management and internal audit the significant risks and exposures identified by internal audit, the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s compliance programs, the Company’s code of conduct, and cyber security initiatives.
Discussed with Deloitte matters required to be discussed by PCAOB Auditing Standard No. 1301, Communications with Audit Committees.

Independent Auditor Independence

Deloitte also provided to the Audit Committee the letter and written disclosures required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent registered public accounting firm’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and the Audit Committee discussed the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm with management and Deloitte. The Audit Committee concluded that Deloitte’s independence had not you plan to attend the Special Meeting, please take the time to submit a proxy by following the instructions on your proxy card as soon as possible. You may do soby completing, signing, dating, and returning the enclosed proxy card by mail, or you may submit your proxy by telephone or electronically through the Internet, as further describedbeen impaired.

Based on the review and discussions described above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements be included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, for filing with the SEC.

Audit Committee,

Jeffrey Brodsky, ChairmanJonathan MellinJonathan Segal

31

Other Information

Quorum

The presence, in person or by proxy, card. If yourof the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock are held in an account at a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee, you should instruct such broker or other nominee howof the Company entitled to vote in accordance withat the voting instruction form furnished by such broker or other nominee.Annual Meeting is necessary to constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting.

 

Votes Required for Approval

 

VotingProvided that a quorum is present, the nominees for director receiving a plurality of the votes cast at the meeting in person or by proxy will not prevent you from voting yourbe elected. However, as discussed further in Proposal No. 1, the Company has implemented a Director Resignation Policy whereby upon the receipt of more “withheld” than “for” votes, an incumbent director is required to submit an irrevocable resignation contingent upon the acceptance of such resignation by the Board. The advisory stockholder vote on the compensation of the Named Executive Officers (Proposal No. 2) and the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP (Proposal No. 3) require the affirmative vote of a majority of shares in person if you subsequently choosepresent or represented by proxy and entitled to attendvote at the SpecialAnnual Meeting.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support.

Sincerely,
Brian P. Anderson
Chairman of the Board

April 15, 2016

 

THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY STATEMENT IS DATED APRIL 15, 2016 AND IS FIRST BEING MAILED TO STOCKHOLDERS ON OR ABOUT APRIL 22, 2016.Abstentions

 

A.M. CastleAbstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on the result of the vote for the election of directors, the non-binding, advisory stockholder vote on the compensation of the Named Executive Officers or the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Co.

1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220

Oak Brook, Illinois 60523Touche LLP, although they will be considered present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum.

 

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held on May 6, 2016Who Can Vote

To the Stockholders of A.M. Castle & Co.:

Notice is hereby given that a special meeting of stockholders of A.M. Castle & Co. will be held on May 6, 2016, at 11:00 a.m., Central Time, at 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523:

1.      To consider and vote on a proposal to approve, as required pursuant to Rule 312 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual, the issuance of our common stock upon the conversion of our New Convertible Notes (the “Issuance Proposal”);

2.      To consider and vote on a proposal to adjourn or postpone the Special Meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies (the “Adjournment Proposal” and together with the Issuance Proposal, the “Proposals”); and

3.      To transact such other business as may properly come before the Special Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.

The Company’s Board of Directors recommends that stockholders vote “FOR” each of the Issuance Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal.

Only stockholders of record of our common stock asAs of the close of business on April 15, 2016,February 28, 2019, the “Record Date,” arerecord date established for determining the stockholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the SpecialAnnual Meeting, and at any adjournment or postponementthere were 3,634,658 outstanding shares of the SpecialCompany’s common stock. Each share of common stock outstanding on the record date is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted at the Annual Meeting.

The approval of the Issuance Proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of our common stock voting thereon at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The approval of the Adjournment Proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of our common stock present and entitled to vote at the Special Meeting, whether or not a quorum is present.

Even if you plan to attend the Special Meeting in person, we request that you submit a proxy by following the instructions on your proxy card as soon as possible and thus ensure that your shares will be represented at the Special Meeting if you are unable to attend. Please do so by completing, signing, dating, and returning the enclosed proxy card by mail, or you may submit your proxy by telephone or electronically through the Internet, as further described on the proxy card. If you sign, date, and return your proxy card without indicating how you wish to vote, your vote will be counted as a vote “FOR” the Issuance Proposal (and, if necessary and appropriate, the Adjournment Proposal). If your shares are held in an account at a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee, you should instruct such broker or other nominee how to vote in accordance with the voting instruction form furnished by such broker or other nominee.

Whether you attend the Special Meeting or not, any proxy given pursuant to this solicitation may be revoked by the person giving it at any time before it is voted. A proxy may be revoked in writing to the Company’s Corporate Secretary, at or before taking of the vote at the Special Meeting. A written notice of revocation or a duly executed proxy, in either case dated later than the prior proxy relating to the same shares will be treated as the final vote.

A proxy may also be revoked by attending the Special Meeting and voting in person, although attendance at the Special Meeting will not itself revoke a proxy. Any written notice of revocation or subsequent proxy should be sent so as to be delivered to A.M. Castle & Co., 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523, Attention: Corporate Secretary, or hand delivered to the Corporate Secretary, at or before the taking of the vote at the Special Meeting.

If you hold your shares through a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee, you should follow the instructions of such broker or other nominee regarding revocation of proxies.

Your vote is important. Whether or not you plan to attend the Special Meeting in person, it is important that your shares be represented. We ask that you vote your shares as soon as possible.

By Order of the Board of Directors,
Marec E. Edgar
Executive Vice President, General Counsel,
Secretary & Chief Administrative Officer

Oak Brook, Illinois

April 15, 2016

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholders Special Meeting To Be Held on May 6, 2016: This proxy statement for the Special Meeting to be held on May 6, 2016, is available free of charge at http://materials.proxyvote.com/148411.

SUMMARY VOTING INSTRUCTIONS

Ensure that your shares of our common stock can be voted at the Special Meeting by submitting your proxy or contacting your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee.

If your shares are registered directly in your name with the Company’s transfer agent, American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, you are considered a stockholder of record with respect to those shares. If your shares are held in a bank or brokerage account, you are considered the beneficial owner of those shares.

If you are a stockholder of record, you will receive only one notice or proxy card for all the shares you hold in certificate form, book-entry form, and in any Company benefit plan.

All shares entitled to vote and represented by properly executed and unrevoked proxies will be voted at the Annual Meeting in accordance with the instructions given therein. If no instructions are indicated on a properly executed proxy (other than broker non-votes), the shares represented by that proxy will be voted as recommended by the Board.

Beneficial Owners

If you are a participant in any of the Company’s 401(k) or employee benefit plans, your proxy card will represent the number of shares allocated to your account under the plans and will serve as a direction to the plan’s trustee as to how the shares in your account are to be voted. To allow sufficient time for voting by the plan’s trustee, your voting instructions must be received by May 4, 2016.April 26, 2019.

If you are a beneficial owner, you will receive voting instruction information from the bank, broker or other nominee through which you own your shares of common stock.Common Stock.

If you sign, date, and return your proxy card without indicating how you wish to vote, your vote will be counted as a vote “FOR” the Issuance Proposal and, if necessary and appropriate, the Adjournment Proposal.

For additional questions regarding the Issuance Proposal, assistance in submitting proxies or voting shares of our common stock, or to request additional copies of the proxy statement or the enclosed proxy card, please contact Investor Relations, A.M. Castle & Co., 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, IL 60523, telephone: (847) 455-7111.

32

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

PROXY STATEMENT1
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE SPECIAL MEETING AND THE PROPOSALS1
ISSUANCE PROPOSAL—APPROVAL OF THE ISSUANCE OF COMPANY COMMON STOCK UPON CONVERSION OF THE COMPANY’S NEW CONVERTIBLE NOTES9
ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL—APPROVAL OF THE ADJOURNMENT OR POSTPONEMENT OF THE SPECIAL MEETING15
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT16
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS19
OTHER MATTERS19
SOLICITATION OF PROXIES19
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION19

If you are a beneficial owner and do not provide voting instructions to your bank, broker or other nominee, the following applies:

 

Important Notice RegardingNon-Discretionary Items. The election of directors and the Availabilityadvisory approval of Proxy Materials for the SpecialCompany’s executive Compensation are nondiscretionary items and may not be voted on by brokers, banks or other nominees who have not received specific voting instructions from beneficial owners. This is called a “broker non-vote.”

Discretionary Items
Meeting. The ratification of Stockholders to be Heldthe appointment of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm are discretionary items. Generally, banks, brokers and other nominees that do not receive voting instructions from beneficial owners may vote on May 6, 2016these proposals in their discretion.

Attending the Annual Meeting

 

This Proxy Statement is available, free of charge, at https://materials.proxyvote.com/148411.

PROXY STATEMENT

This proxy statement sets forth information relatingYou will need to the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of A.M. Castle & Co. (the “Company”) in connection with the Company’s Special Meeting or any adjournment or postponementprovide proof that you own shares of the Special Meeting. This proxy statementCompany as of February 28, 2019. Attendance is being furnished by our Board of Directors for use at the Special Meeting of stockholderslimited to be held at 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523, on May 6, 2016 at 11:00 a.m., Central Time. This proxy statement and form of proxy are first being mailed to stockholders on or about April 22, 2016, to our stockholders of record as of the close of business on  April 15, 2016 (the “Record Date”).

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE SPECIAL MEETING
AND THE PROPOSALS

The following questions and answers address briefly some questions you may have regarding the Special Meeting and the Proposals. These questions and answers mayFebruary 28, 2019. Please note that cameras, sound or video recording equipment, cellular telephones, or similar electronic devices, large bags, briefcases or packages will not address all questions that may be important to you as a stockholder of the Company. Please refer to the more detailed information contained elsewhere in this proxy statement and the documents referred to or incorporated by reference in this proxy statement.

Q: Why did I receive these proxy materials?

A: We are providing these proxy materials in connection with the solicitation by our Board of Directors of proxies to be voted at the Special Meeting in connection with the issuance of common stock upon the conversion of our New Convertible Notes.

In January 2016, the Company entered into separate Support Agreements with Supporting Holders of 89.7% of the aggregate principal amount of the Company’s Existing Convertible Notes providing for the terms of Exchanges of the Existing Convertible Notes for New Convertible Notes. Pursuant to the Support Agreements, the Supporting Holders agreed to participateallowed in the Exchanges and vote any shares of common stock of the Company they may hold in favor of the proposals described herein.meeting room.

Additionally, the Company entered into agreements with the Significant Equity Holders, pursuant to which the Significant Equity Holders have agreed to vote all of their shares of common stock in favor of the proposals contained herein. Collectively, the Significant Equity Holders and the Supporting Holders hold approximately 48% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock as of the Record Date.

Pursuant to the Support Agreements, for each $1,000 principal amount of Existing Convertible Notes validly exchanged in the Exchanges, an exchanging holder of Existing Convertible Notes will receive $700 principal amount of New Convertible Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest. The New Convertible Notes are convertible, under certain circumstances, into cash, shares of our common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of our common stock, at our election, at an initial conversion rate of 444.444 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount (equivalent to an initial conversion price of $2.25 per share of common stock), subject to adjustments, which, after completion of the Exchanges, could result in the issuance of an aggregate of approximately 17.9 million shares of the Company’s common stock, which shares are in excess of 20% of the number of shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding prior to such issuance and will have in excess of 20% of the voting power in the Company before such issuance.

In addition, an affiliate of the Company, the Raging Capital Group, will hold $2.94 million in aggregate principal amount of the New Convertible Notes following the Exchanges, which could result in the issuance of approximately 1.3 million shares of the Company’s common stock upon conversion, which is in excess of 1% of the number of shares of Company’s common stock outstanding prior to such issuance.

Because the Company’s common stock is listed on the NYSE, the Company is subject to the NYSE’s rules and regulations. NYSE Rule 312.03(c) requires stockholder approval prior to the issuance of common stock, or of securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock, in any transaction or series of transactions if (i) the common stock to be issued has, or will have upon issuance, voting power equal to or in excess of 20% of the voting power outstanding before the issuance of such stock or of securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock, or (ii) the number of shares of common stock to be issued is, or will be upon issuance, equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of shares of common stock outstanding before the issuance of the common stock or of securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock (the “20% Issuance Approval”).

Further, NYSE Rule 312.03(b) requires stockholder approval prior to the issuance of common stock, or of securities convertible into common stock, in any transaction or series of related transactions, to (1) a Related Party; (2) a subsidiary, affiliate or other closely-related person of a Related Party; or (3) any company or entity in which a Related Party has a substantial direct or indirect interest, if the number of shares of common stock to be issued, or if the number of shares of common stock into which the securities may be convertible, exceeds either 1% of the number of shares of common stock or 1% of the voting power outstanding before the issuance (the “Related Party Approval” and together with the 20% Issuance Approval, the “Issuance Proposal”).

At the Special Meeting, in accordance with NYSE Rule 312, you will be asked to consider and vote on a proposal to approve the Issuance Proposal.

Our Board of Directors believes that the Issuance Proposal is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and, therefore, recommends that you vote “FOR” the Issuance Proposal.

Q: What items of business will be voted on at the Special Meeting?

A: The business expected to be voted on at the Special Meeting is considering approval of the following proposals:

To consider and vote on a proposal to approve, as required pursuant to NYSE Rule 312, the Issuance Proposal;
To consider and vote on the Adjournment Proposal, as necessary and appropriate; and
To consider and transact such other business as may properly come before the Special Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.

Q: Where and when is the Special Meeting?

A: The Special Meeting will be held at 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523 at on May 6, 2016 at 11:00 a.m., Central Time.

Q: Who can attend and vote at the Special Meeting?

A: You are entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at the Special Meeting, or any postponement or adjournment thereof, if, as of the close of business on April 15, 2016 the Record Date, you were a holder of record of our common stock.

As of the Record Date, there were issued and outstanding 23,794,390 shares of our common stock, each of which is entitled to one vote on each matter to come before the Special Meeting.

If you wish to attend the Special Meeting and your shares are held in an account at a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee (i.e., in “street name”), you will need to bring your legal proxy and hand it in with a copy of your voting instruction card or statement reflecting your share ownership as of the Record Date. “Street name” holders who wishsigned ballot that will be provided to voteyou at the Special Meeting will need to obtain a proxy from the broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee that holds their shares.

Q: What do I need to bring in order to attend the Special Meeting?

A: If you are a stockholder of record, you must bring proof of identification. If you hold your shares through a broker, bank, or other nominee, you will need to provide proof of ownership by bringing either a copy of the voting instruction form provided by your broker, or a copy of a brokerage statement showing your share ownership as of April 15, 2016.

Q: How many shares must be present to conduct business at the Special Meeting?

A: A quorum is necessary to hold a valid meeting of stockholders. For each of the Proposals to be presented at the Special Meeting, the holders of shares of our common stock outstanding on the Record Date, representing at least a majority of the votes must be present at the Special Meeting, in person or by proxy. If you vote—including by Internet, telephone or proxy card—your shares voted will be counted towards the quorum for the Special Meeting. Abstentions are counted as present for the purpose of determining a quorum; broker non-votes are not counted for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum at the Special Meeting as the Proposals to be considered would not be evaluated as routine by the NYSE.

Q: What are my voting choices?

A: You may vote “FOR” or “AGAINST” or you may “ABSTAIN” from voting on any Proposal to be voted on at the Special Meeting. Your shares will be voted as you specifically instruct. If you sign your proxy or voting instruction card without giving specific instructions, your shares will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of our Board of Directors and in the discretion of the proxy holders on any other matters that properly come before the meeting.

Q: What vote is required to approve the Proposals?

A: The Issuance Proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of our common stock voting thereon at a meeting at which a quorum is present. Under applicable NYSE Rules, abstentions are counted as present for purposes of determining a quorum and are also counted as shares voted with respect to such proposal, and therefore, if you return your proxy card and “ABSTAIN” from voting, it will have the same effect as a vote against the Issuance Proposal. The Adjournment Proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of our common stock present and entitled to vote at the Special Meeting, whether or not a quorum is present.

Q: What will I receive in the Issuance Proposal?

A: You will not receive any consideration in the Issuance Proposal. Your shares of common stock will remain outstanding following the approval of the Issuance Proposal and the accompanying issuance of our common stock to holders of the New Convertible Notes upon conversion, and you will continue to participate as a stockholder by virtue of your shares of our common stock.

Q: What percentage of the Company’s voting stock will the holders of New Convertible Notes (the “New Convertible Noteholders”) own upon conversion of all of the New Convertible Notes?

A: Based upon the number of shares of our common stock outstanding on the Record Date, upon conversion of all of the New Convertible Notes, the New Convertible Noteholders will hold in the aggregate approximately 55% of the total voting power of the Company’s capital stock, including any shares of common stock held by the New Convertible Noteholders prior to the issuance of the New Convertible Notes.

Q: What will happen if the Issuance Proposal is not approved?

A: If the Issuance Proposal is not approved on or prior to June 30, 2016, Additional Interest (as defined below) shall be paid on the New Convertible Notes, beginning on July 1, 2016, until Stockholder Approval (as defined herein) has been obtained. “Additional Interest” means, initially, 2.00% per annum, increasing to 4.00% per annum beginning on October 1, 2016.

Q: How does the Company’s Board of Directors recommend that I vote?

A: Our Board of Directors, after careful consideration, unanimously recommends that our stockholders vote“FOR”the approval of the Issuance Proposal and“FOR”the Adjournment Proposal.

Q: What do I need to do now?

A: We urge you to read this proxy statement carefully and to consider how approving the Proposals affects you. Then simply mail your completed, dated and signed proxy card in the enclosed return envelope as soon as possible so that your shares can be voted at the Special Meeting of our stockholders. Holders of record may also vote by telephone or the Internet by following the instructions on the proxy card.

Q: What happens if I do not respond or if I respond and fail to indicate my voting preference or if I abstain from voting?

A: If you fail to sign, date, and return your proxy card or fail to vote by telephone or Internet as provided on your proxy card, your shares will not be counted towards establishing a quorum for the Special Meeting, which requires holders representing a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock to be present in person or by proxy. If you respond and do not indicate your voting preference, we will count your proxy as a vote in favor of the approval of each of the Proposals.

Q: If my shares are held in “street name” by my broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee, will such broker or other nominee vote my shares for me?

A: You should instruct your broker or other nominee on howable to vote your shares usingat the instructions provided by such broker or other nominee. Absent specific voting instructions, brokers or other nominees who hold sharesmeeting without a legal proxy.

Tabulation and Counting of Company common stock in “street name” for customers are prevented by the NYSE Rules from exercising voting discretion in respect of non-routine or contested matters. Votes

The Company expects that when the NYSE evaluates the Proposals to be voted on at the Special Meeting to determine whether each Proposal is a routine or non-routine matter, the Proposals would not be evaluated as routine. Shares not voted by a broker or other nominee because such broker or other nominee does not have instructions or cannot exercise discretionary voting power with respect to one or more Proposals are referred to as “broker non-votes”. Such broker non-votes may not be counted for the purposeretains an independent inspector of determining the presence of a quorum at the Special Meeting in the absence of a routine proposal. It is important that you instruct your broker or other nominee on how to vote your shares of Company common stock held in “street name” in accordance with the voting instructions provided by such broker or other nominee.

Q: How do I vote?

A: If you are aregistered stockholder(i.e., you hold your shares in your own name through our transfer agent,election from its Transfer Agent, American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, to attend its Annual Meeting and not through a broker, bank, or other nominee that holds shares for your account in “street name”), you may vote by proxy viato certify the Internet, by telephone, or by mail by following the instructions provided on the proxy card. Proxies submitted by telephone or through the Internet must be received by 11:59 p.m., Central Time, on May 4, 2016. Please see the proxy card provided to you for instructions on how to submit your proxy by telephone or the Internet. Stockholders of record who attend the Special Meeting may vote in person by obtaining a ballot from the inspector of elections.

If you are abeneficial owner of shares (i.e., your shares are held in the name of a brokerage firm, bank or a trustee), you may vote by proxy by following the instructions provided in the vote instruction form or other materials provided to you by the brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee that holds your shares. To vote in person at the Special Meeting, you must obtain a legal proxy from the brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee that holds your shares.

Q: How do I vote my shares held in the Company’s 401(k) or Employee Benefit Plans?

A: If you are a participant in anyresults of the Company’s 401(k) or employee benefit plans, your proxy card will represent the number of shares allocated to your account under the plans and will serve asvote.

Revoking a direction to the plan’s trustee as to how the shares in your account are to be voted. To allow sufficient time for voting by the plan’s trustee, your voting instructions must be received by May 4, 2016.Vote

Q: Can I change my vote after I have mailed my proxy card?

A: Yes. Whether you attend the Special Meeting or not, anyAny proxy given pursuant to this solicitation may be revoked by the person giving it at any time before it is voted. A proxy may be revoked in writing to the Company’s Corporate Secretary, at or before taking of the vote at the SpecialAnnual Meeting. A written notice of revocation or a duly executed proxy, in either case later dated than the prior proxy relating to the same shares will be treated as the final vote.

A proxy may also be revoked by attending the SpecialAnnual Meeting and voting in person, although attendance at the SpecialAnnual Meeting will not itself revoke a proxy. Any written notice of revocation or subsequent proxy should be sent so as to be delivered to A.M.A. M. Castle & Co., 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523, Attention: Corporate Secretary, or hand delivered to the Corporate Secretary, at or before the taking of the vote at the SpecialAnnual Meeting.

If you hold your shares through a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company, or other nominee, you should follow the instructions of such broker or other nominee regarding revocation of proxies.

Voting Results

 

Q: Am I entitled to appraisal rights?

A: No. YouThe Company will have no right under Maryland law to seek appraisal of your shares of our common stock in connection withannounce the Proposals.

Q: Where can I find the results of the voting?

A: We intend to announce preliminary voting results at the SpecialAnnual Meeting and. The Company will publishreport the final results throughon a Current Report on Form 8-K, to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)SEC within four business days afterfollowing the SpecialAnnual Meeting.

Communication with Directors

Stockholders and others who are interested in communicating directly with the Company’s chairperson, any individual director, the Board, or non-management directors as a group may do so by writing to the directors at the following address:

A.M. Castle & Co.
Board Communication
1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220
Oak Brook, Illinois 60523
Attn: Corporate Secretary

All written communications are received and processed by the Company prior to being forwarded to the chairperson of the board or other appropriate members of the Board. Directors generally will not be forwarded communications that are primarily commercial in nature, relate to improper or irrelevant topics, or request general information about the Company.

33

In addition, the Audit Committee has established both a telephonic voice call-in and electronic communication method on an independent website (https://www.convercent.com) entitled “Convercent” which also can be accessed from the Company’s website. The Current Reportsystem provides for electronic communication, either anonymously or identified, for employees, vendors, and other interested parties to communicate concerns, including concerns with respect to the Company’s accounting, internal controls or financial reporting, to the Audit Committee. Concerns may be reported via telephone at 1-800-461-9330 or via the link to Convercent which can be found on Form 8- Kthe “Corporate Governance” section of the Company’s website at: https://castlemetals.com/investors/corporate-governance.

Questions and Answers

How are proxies solicited and what is the cost?

All of the expenses involved in preparing, assembling, and mailing this Proxy Statement and the material enclosed herewith will be available onpaid by the Internet at our website, www.castlemetals.com/investors/sec-filings.

Q: Who will payCompany, including, upon request, expenses incurred in forwarding proxies and proxy statements to beneficial owners of stock held in the name of another. The Company has not retained an external proxy solicitor for 2019. Officers, directors, and employees of the cost of soliciting proxies?

A: We will pay for the cost of soliciting proxies. Our directors, officers, and other employees, without additional compensation,Company may solicit proxies personally, in writing, by telephone, by email, or otherwise. As is customary, wefrom certain stockholders; however, no additional compensation will reimburse brokerage firms, fiduciaries, voting trustees, and other nomineesbe paid to those individuals for forwarding our proxy materials to each beneficial owner of common stock or preferred stock held of record by them.these activities.

Q:

What is “householding” and how does it affect me?Householding?

A:

The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries, such as brokers, to satisfy the delivery requirements for proxy statements and annual reports with respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a single proxy statement addressed to those stockholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as “householding,” potentially means extra convenience for stockholders and cost savings for companies.

If you receive notice from your broker that it will be householding communications to your address, householding will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. The Company will deliver promptly upon written or oral request a separate copy of its Annual Report and proxy statement or notice to any stockholder who received these materials at a shared address. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in householding and would prefer to receive a separate proxy statement and annual report, please notify your broker directly or direct your written request to: Corporate Secretary, A.M.A. M. Castle & Co., 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523, or by phone at (847) 455-7111.

Q: Can I obtain If you and other stockholders of record with whom you share an electronicaddress currently receive multiple copies of annual reports and/or proxy statements, or if you hold stock in more than one account and, in either case, you wish to receive only a single copy of proxy material?

A: Yes, thisthe annual report or proxy statement for your household, please contact your broker directly or director your request to the accompanying notice of Special Meeting and the proxy card are available on the Internet at https://materials.proxyvote.com/148411.

Q: What happens if the Special Meeting is adjourned or postponed?

A: Although it is not expected, the Special Meeting may be adjourned or postponed for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies. Any adjournment or postponement may be made without notice, other than by an announcement madeCorporate Secretary at the Special Meeting, by approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock present in persontelephone number or represented by proxy at the Special Meeting, whether or not a quorum exists. Any signed proxies received by the Company will be voted in favor of an adjournment or postponement in these circumstances. Any adjournment or postponement of the Special Meeting for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies will allow Company stockholders who have already sent in their proxies to revoke them at any time prior to their use.

Q: Who can help answer my other questions?

A: If you have more questions about the Proposals or voting, you should contact Investor Relations, A.M. Castle & Co., 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, IL 60523, telephone: (847) 455-7111.address above.

 

ISSUANCE PROPOSAL—APPROVAL OF THE ISSUANCE OF

COMPANY COMMON STOCK UPON CONVERSION OF

THE NEW CONVERTIBLE NOTES

In January 2016, the Company entered into separate Support Agreements with Supporting HoldersAvailability of 89.7% of the aggregate principal amount of the Company’s Existing Convertible Notes providing for the terms of Exchanges of the Existing Convertible Notes for New Convertible Notes. PursuantForm 10-K and Annual Report to the Support Agreements, the Supporting Holders agreed to participate in the Exchanges and vote any shares of common stock of the Company they may hold in favor of the proposals described herein.

Additionally, the Company entered into agreements with the Significant Equity Holders, pursuant to which the Significant Equity Holders have agreed to vote all of their shares of common stock in favor of the proposals contained herein. Collectively, the Significant Equity Holders and the Supporting Holders hold approximately 48% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock as of the Record Date.

Pursuant to the Support Agreements, for each $1,000 principal amount of Existing Convertible Notes validly exchanged in the Exchanges, an exchanging holder of Existing Convertible Notes will receive $700 principal amount of New Convertible Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest. The New Convertible Notes are convertible, under certain circumstances, into cash, shares of our common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of our common stock, at our election, at an initial conversion rate of 444.444 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount (equivalent to an initial conversion price of $2.25 per share of common stock), subject to adjustments, which, after completion of the Exchanges, could result in the issuance of an aggregate of approximately 17.9 million shares of the Company’s common stock, which shares are in excess of 20% of the number of shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding prior to such issuance and will have in excess of 20% of the voting power in the Company before such issuance.

In addition, an affiliate of the Company, the Raging Capital Group, will hold $2.94 million in aggregate principal amount of the New Convertible Notes following the Exchanges, which could result in the issuance of approximately 1.3 million shares of the Company’s common stock upon conversion, which is in excess of 1% of the number of shares of Company’s common stock outstanding prior to such issuance.

Because the Company’s common stock is listed on the NYSE, the Company is subject to the NYSE’s rules and regulations. NYSE Rule 312.03(c) requires stockholder approval prior to the issuance of common stock, or of securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock, in any transaction or series of transactions if (i) the common stock to be issued has, or will have upon issuance, voting power equal to or in excess of 20% of the voting power outstanding before the issuance of such stock or of securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock, or (ii) the number of shares of common stock to be issued is, or will be upon issuance, equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of shares of common stock outstanding before the issuance of the common stock or of securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock.

Further, NYSE Rule 312.03(b) requires stockholder approval prior to the issuance of common stock, or of securities convertible into common stock, in any transaction or series of related transactions, to (1) a Related Party; (2) a subsidiary, affiliate or other closely-related person of a Related Party; or (3) any company or entity in which a Related Party has a substantial direct or indirect interest, if the number of shares of common stock to be issued, or if the number of shares of common stock into which the securities may be convertible, exceeds either 1% of the number of shares of common stock or 1% of the voting power outstanding before the issuance.

In order to enable the Company to avoid being forced to make a cash payment upon conversion and to instead have the flexibility to satisfy its conversion obligations fully in shares of common stock, which the Company currently intends to do, the Company is asking its stockholders to approve the issuance of the full amount of common stock issuable upon conversion of the New Convertible Notes. If the Issuance Proposal is not approved and the Company is required to make a cash payment upon conversion, even in part, it could, depending on timing and circumstances, have a material adverse impact on the Company’s cash flow and liquidity.

At the Special Meeting, in accordance with NYSE Rule 312, you will be asked to consider and vote on a proposal to approve the Issuance Proposal.

If the Issuance Proposal is not approved on or prior to June 30, 2016, Additional Interest shall be paid on the New Convertible Notes, beginning on July 1, 2016, until Stockholder Approval has been obtained. “Additional Interest” means, initially, 2.00% per annum, increasing to 4.00% per annum beginning on October 1, 2016.

Required Vote

The Issuance Proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of our common stock voting thereon at a meeting at which a quorum is present. Under applicable NYSE Rules, abstentions are counted as shares voted with respect to such proposal, and therefore, if you return your proxy card and “ABSTAIN” from voting, it will have the same effect as a vote against the Issuance Proposal. The Adjournment Proposal requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of our common stock present and entitled to vote at the Special Meeting, whether or not a quorum is present.

Recommendation

The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote “FOR” the Issuance Proposal.

Description of the New Convertible Notes

The following is a summary of the principal terms of the New Convertible Notes that will be issued in connection with the Exchanges.

The New Convertible Notes to be issued will mature on December 31, 2019 and will pay interest at a rate of 5.25% per annum, payable semi-annually in cash. For each $1,000 principal amount of Existing Convertible Notes validly exchanged in the Exchanges, an exchanging holder of Existing Convertible Notes (an “Exchanging Convertible Noteholder”) shall receive $700 principal amount of New Convertible Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest. All current and future guarantors of the Company’s 12.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2018 (the “Senior Secured Notes”), the Existing Convertible Notes, the Company’s senior secured credit facility and any other material indebtedness of the Company will guarantee the New Convertible Notes. The New Convertible Notes will be secured on a “silent” third-priority basis by the same collateral that secures the Senior Secured Notes and the senior secured credit facility.

The New Convertible Notes will initially be convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price (the “Conversion Price”) per share of $2.25. The Conversion Price shall be subject to the same adjustment provisions contained in the Existing Convertible Notes, subject to certain exceptions; provided that, to the extent the Company’s common stock (or derivatives) is issued in respect of any Existing Convertible Notes after the completion of the Exchanges at an issue price (or exercise or Conversion Price, as the case may be) per share that is lower than the Conversion Price then in effect, (i) the Conversion Price shall be adjusted to the lower of (x) the lowest issue price per share of the Company’s common stock so issued and (y) the lowest conversion or exercise price per share of any such derivatives, and (ii) the Conversion Price shall have the benefit of any adjustment provision applicable to the conversion or exercise price of such derivatives, to the extent such provision is more favorable than that applicable to the Conversion Price.

Following the issue date, the holders of New Convertible Notes will be able to convert the New Convertible Notes, from time to time, in whole or in part, into shares of the Company’s common stock, at the then-applicable Conversion Price. The conversion may be settled in the form of cash, shares of the Company’s common stock, or a combination of both, in the Company’s sole discretion.

The value of shares of the Company’s common stock for purposes of the settlement of the conversion right will be calculated as provided in the indenture for the Existing Convertible Notes, using a 20 trading day period rather than a 40 trading day period for the observation period. Upon such conversion, the converting holder also shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to the Make-Whole Premium (as defined below), payable in the form of cash, shares of the Company’s common stock, or a combination of both, in the Company’s sole discretion. The value of shares of the Company’s common stock for purposes of calculating the Make-Whole Premium upon conversion will be based on the greater of (x) 130% of the conversion price then in effect and (y) the volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) of such shares for the relevant observation period (using a 20 trading day period), as provided in the indenture for the Existing Convertible Notes.

If a conversion occurs in connection with a fundamental change, for each $1,000 principal amount of New Convertible Notes, the number of shares of the Company’s common stock issuable upon conversion shall equal the greater of (A) $1,000 plus the amount of a Make-Whole Premium divided by the then applicable Conversion Price and (B) $1,300 divided by the price per share of the Company’s common stock paid in connection with the fundamental change. Settlement upon conversion in connection with a fundamental change shall be in the form of cash, shares of the Company’s common stock, or a combination of both, in the Company’s sole discretion. The value of shares of the Company’s common stock for purposes of the settlement of such conversion will be based on the VWAP of such shares for the 20 trading days immediately preceding the date of conversion. The New Convertible Notes will not contain provisions analogous to those applicable to the Existing Convertible Notes that require the issuance of additional shares in connection with a fundamental change.

Upon 20 trading days’ notice, if the daily VWAP of the Company common stock has been at least 130% of the Conversion Price then in effect for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during any 30 consecutive trading day period ending on, and including, the trading day immediately preceding the date on which such notice of redemption is provided, the Company shall, from time to time, have the right to redeem any or all of the New Convertible Notes at a price equal to (A) 100.0% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus (B) the Make-Whole Premium. The redemption price can be paid in the form of cash, shares of the Company’s common stock, or a combination of both, in the Company’s sole discretion. The value of shares of the Company’s common stock will be based on the VWAP of such shares for the 20 trading days immediately preceding the date of redemption. Prior to the third trading day prior to the date of any such redemption, any New Convertible Notes called for redemption may be converted into shares of the Company’s common stock at the Conversion Price then in effect.

In addition, the Company shall pay, on the relevant redemption date (whether a conversion date or a fundamental change settlement date), in cash, all accrued and unpaid interest on the New Convertible Notes to be redeemed to, but not including the relevant redemption date (or conversion date or fundamental change settlement date, as the case may be) (the “Accrued Interest Amount”).

“Make-Whole Premium” means, with respect to each $1,000 in principal amount of New Convertible Notes, an amount equal to the present values of all scheduled payments of interest on the New Convertible Notes to be redeemed from the relevant redemption date (or conversion date, in the case of a conversion) to (and including) the earlier of (x) the fourth interest payment date after such redemption date (or conversion date, as the case may be) and (y) December 31, 2019 (excluding the Accrued Interest Amount), computed using a discount rate equal to the yield on the U.S. treasury security whose tenor most nearly approximates the time until each such interest payment plus 0.50%.

Delisting from the NYSE or NASDAQ will not be an event of default or fundamental change, but the Company shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to remain listed on either the NYSE or NASDAQ. The Company and the guarantors of the New Convertible Notes may not incur additional debt secured by liens that rank equally with the liens securing the New Convertible Notes, other than additional New Convertible Notes issued in exchange for Existing Convertible Notes that have not been exchanged in the Exchanges, on terms no more advantageous to the holders of such Existing Convertible Notes than the terms of the Exchanges are to the Supporting Holders. The Company shall not refinance the Existing Convertible Notes or any of its remaining 12.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2016 with any indebtedness (i) that is senior (either in right of payment or as to security) to the New Convertible Notes, (ii) as to which a person other than the Company or a guarantor of the New Convertible Notes is an obligor or provides credit support or (iii) that has any scheduled amortization payments or a maturity date that is earlier than 91 days after the maturity date of the New Convertible Notes.

Any shares of common stock issuable in respect of the New Convertible Notes issued in the Exchanges will be subject to registration rights under a customary registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”). Accordingly, on March 22, 2016, the Company filed a registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”), which has not yet been declared effective by the SEC. The Company shall pay the holders of registrable securities under the Registration Rights Agreement a fee in cash equal to 5.00% of the aggregate principal amount of such holders’ New Convertible Notes if it fails to have the Registration Statement declared effective at or prior to the settlement of the Exchanges and an additional fee of 0.50% of the aggregate principal amount of such holders’ New Convertible Notes for each period of 30 days thereafter that the Registration Statement has not been declared effective.

Until stockholder approval under the NYSE rules is obtained for the issuance of all of the common stock issuable upon conversion (the “Stockholder Approval”), the aggregate number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued upon the conversion of the New Convertible Notes will not exceed a number equal to 19.99% of the outstanding shares of Company common stock as of the date of the Exchanges. Prior to Stockholder Approval and upon either (i) a fundamental change or (ii) the Company’s exercise of its optional redemption rights, the Company’s right to settle in the Company’s common stock (including upon a conversion in connection therewith) shall be capped at 19.99% of the then outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock, with the remainder payable in cash. In addition, the aggregate number of shares of our common stock to be issued to affiliates of the Company upon conversion of the New Convertible Notes may not exceed 0.99% of either (x) the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding or (y) the total voting power of our securities outstanding that are entitled to vote on a matter being voted on by holders of our common stock unless and until we have obtained Stockholder Approval.

To the extent the Stockholder Approval has not been obtained on or prior to June 30, 2016, Additional Interest shall be paid on the New Convertible Notes, beginning on July 1, 2016, until Stockholder Approval has been obtained. “Additional Interest” means, initially, 2.00% per annum, increasing to 4.00% per annum beginning on October 1, 2016.

The conversion right will also be limited so that, while the shares of the Company’s common stock are registered under the Exchange Act, no holder (or group of affiliated holders) may convert its New Convertible Notes into a number of shares of the Company’s common stock that exceeds the number that would cause such holder (or group of affiliated holders) to beneficially own more than 9.99% of the outstanding shares of Company common stock, except in connection with an issuance of Company common stock pursuant to, or upon a conversion in connection with, (i) the Company’s optional redemption rights or (ii) a fundamental change.

The foregoing description of the terms of the New Convertible Notes is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Form of Transaction Support Agreement filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on January 15, 2016, the Form of First Amendment to Transaction Support Agreement filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on February 3, 2016 and the Form of Amended and Restated Transaction Support Agreement filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on March 22, 2016.

Any reference to the Exchanges is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy any New or Existing Convertible Notes. Consummation of the Exchanges is subject to, among other things, definitive documentation. There can be no assurance if or when the Company will consummate any such transaction or the terms thereof. In the event such transactions are completed, they will be effected pursuant to separate documentation and any such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.

Stockholders

14 

ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL—APPROVAL OF THE ADJOURNMENT OR
POSTPONEMENT OF THE SPECIAL MEETING

The Company’s stockholders are being asked to consider and vote on a proposal to adjourn or postpone the Special Meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies. The Board of Directors believes this proposal to be in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders because it gives the Company flexibility to solicit the vote of additional holders of the Company’s voting securities to vote on matters the Board of Directors deems important to the Company. Additionally, the Company will be subject to monetary penalties if the Issuance Proposal is not approved by the Company’s stockholders. If the Issuance Proposal is not approved on or prior to June 30, 2016, Additional Interest shall be paid on the New Convertible Notes, beginning on July 1, 2016, until Stockholder Approval has been obtained.The Board of Directors of the Company recommends that stockholders vote “FOR” the Proposal to adjourn or postpone the Special Meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies.

15 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

Directors and Management

 

The following table sets forth the number of shares and percentage of the Company’s common stock that was owned beneficially as of April 15, 2016, by each of the Company’s directors, each current or former named executive officer, and by all directors and executive officers as a group, with each person having sole voting and dispositive power except as indicated. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner listed below is c/o A.M. Castle & Co., 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523.

Beneficial Owner 

Shares of Common

Stock Beneficially

Owned(1)

 Percentage of Common Stock Additional Information
Directors      
Brian Anderson  69,894   *   
Reuben Donnelley  4,288,652   18.0% See note 2 under “Principal Stockholders” table below.
Pamela Forbes Lieberman  50,017                  *   
Gary Masse  35,471   *   
Jonathan Mellin  5,151,938   21.7% See note 2 under “Principal Stockholders” table below.
Kenneth Traub  37,555   *  See note 4 under “Principal Stockholders” table below.
Allan Young  18,667   *  See note 4 under “Principal Stockholders” table below.
Named Executive Officers          
Steven Scheinkman  7,500   *   
Patrick Anderson  25,682   *  Includes 4,800 vested, unexercised stock options.
Marec Edgar  0   *   
Thomas Garrett(2)  30,900   *  Includes 6,300 vested, unexercised stock options.
Ronald Knopp  16,344   *   
Former Named Executive Officers          
Scott Dolan  238,265   *   
Stephen Letnich  0   *   
All directors and executive officers as a group (13 persons)  7,186,503   30.2% Includes 11,100 vested, unexercised stock options.

*Percentage of shares owned equals less than 1%.

(1) Applicable percentage ownership is based upon 23,794,390 shares of common stock outstanding as of April 15, 2016.

(2) Mr. Garrett no longer serves as an executive officer of the Company following the previously announced sale of the Company’s plastics business in March 2016.

16 

Principal Stockholders

The only persons who held of record or, to our knowledge (based on our review of Schedules 13D, 13F and 13G, and amendments thereto), owned beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock as of April 15, 2016, are set forth below, with each person having sole voting and dispositive power except as indicated:

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner 

Shares of Common

Stock Beneficially

Owned

 Percentage of
Common Stock (1)
         
Jonathan B. Mellin
Reuben S. Donnelley
W.B. & Co.
FOM Corporation
     30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1232
     Chicago, Illinois 60602-2504
  6,789,269(2)  28.5%
         
Stone House Capital Management, LLC
SH Capital Partners, L.P.
Mark Cohen
     950 Third Avenue, 17th Floor
     New York, New York 10022
  4,000,000(3)  16.8%
         
Raging Capital Master Fund, Ltd.
     c/o Ogier Fiduciary Services (Cayman) Limited, 89 Nexus Way,
     Camana Bay, Grand Cayman KY 1-9007, Cayman Islands
Raging Capital Management, LLC
William C. Martin
Kenneth H. Traub
Allan J. Young
Robert L. Lerner
     Ten Princeton Avenue, P.O. Box 228
     Rocky Hill, New Jersey 08553
Richard N. Burger
  4,687,017(4)  19.7%
         
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP
Building One
     6300 Bee Cave Road
     Austin, Texas, 78746
  1,386,065(5)  5.8%
Royce & Associates, LLC
     745 Fifth Avenue
     New York, New York 10151
  2,719,632(6)  11.4%
         

(1)Applicable percentage ownership is based upon 23,794,390 shares of common Stock outstanding as of April 15, 2016.
(2)Based on a Schedule 13D/A filed with the SEC on March 29, 2016. W.B. & Co. shares voting power with respect to 4,228,281 shares of common stock. Mr. Mellin has sole voting power over 54,323 shares of common stock, shared voting power over 5,097,615 shares of common stock, sole dispositive power over 109,791 shares of common stock and shared dispositive power over 869,334 shares of common stock. Mr. Donnelley has sole voting and dispositive power over 33,471 shares of common stock and shared voting power over 4,228,281 shares of common stock. FOM Corporation has sole voting power over 1,594,372 shares of common stock, shared voting and dispositive power over 572,688 shares of common stock and shared dispositive power over 572,688 shares of common stock.
(3)Based on a Schedule 13D/A filed with the SEC on March 24, 2016. Each of Stone House Capital Management, LLC, SH Capital Partners, L.P. and Mark Cohen share voting and dispositive power with respect to the 4,000,000 shares of common stock beneficially owned by them.
(4)Based on a Schedule 13D/A filed with the SEC on March 22, 2016. Each of Raging Capital Management, LLC and William C. Martin share voting and dispositive power with respect to 4,630,795 shares of common stock. Mr. Traub has sole voting power over 37,555 shares of common stock and sole dispositive power over 18,888 shares of common stock. Mr. Young has sole voting power over 18,667 shares of common stock.
(5)Based on a Schedule 13G/A filed on February 9, 2016.
(6)Based on a Schedule 13G/A filed on January 12, 2016.

18 

OTHER MATTERS

No business other than that set forth in the attached notice of Special Meeting is expected to come before the Special Meeting. However, should any other matters requiring a vote of stockholders arise, the persons named in the accompanying proxy will vote thereon according to their best judgment in the interest of the Company.

SOLICITATION OF PROXIES

It is expected that the solicitation of proxies will be primarily by mail. Proxies may also be solicited personally by regular employees of the Company, by telephone or by other means of communication at nominal cost. The Company will bear the costprovide a copy of such solicitation. It will reimburse banks, brokers and trustees, or their nominees, for reasonable expenses incurred by them in forwarding proxy material to beneficial owners of stock in accordance with the NYSE schedule of charges.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, in accordance therewith, files reports and other information with the SEC. Any interested party may inspect information filed by the Company, without charge, at the public reference facilities of the SEC at its principal office at 100 F. Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Any interested party may obtain copies of all or any portion of the information filed by the Company at prescribed rates from the Public Reference Section of the SEC at its principal office at 100 F. Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding the Company and other registrants that file electronically with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.

The Company’s common stock is listed on the NYSE and trades under the symbol “CAS”.

AVAILABILITY OF FORM 10-K AND ANNUAL REPORT TO STOCKHOLDERS

The Company is providing an Annual Report to stockholders who receive this proxy statement.any stockholder requesting a copy in writing. The Company will also provide copies of the Annual Report to brokers, dealers, banks, voting trustees, and their nominees for the benefit of their beneficial owners of record. Additional copies of the Annual Report, which also contains the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (as amended by Form 10-K/A) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 (not including exhibits and documents incorporated by reference),2018, are available without charge to stockholders upon written request to the Company at 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523, Attention: Corporate Secretary.

Stockholder Proposals for 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

In order for proposals by stockholders to be considered for inclusion in the Company’s Proxy Statement and form of proxy for the Company’s 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, Maryland Law, the Company’s Bylaws, SEC rules and NASDAQ rules require that any stockholder proposals must be received no later than November 20, 2019. In addition, the Company’s Bylaws require a stockholder who wishes to propose a nominee for election as a director or any other business matter for consideration at the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to give advance written notice to the Company between January 2, 2019, and February 1, 2020.

A.M. Castle: Our Mission, Vision, and Values

19 

 


A.M. CASTLE & CO.
ATTN: MAREC E. EDGAR

1420 KENSINGTON ROAD, SUITE 220
OAK BROOK, ILLINOIS 60523

VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com 

Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.

VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903

Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.

VOTE BY MAIL

Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. 

 



TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS:
KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS
THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED.DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY


 

 

The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposals 1 and 2.For  AgainstAbstain
1To approve, as required by Rule 312 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual, the issuance of our common stock upon conversion of our 5.25% Senior Convertible Notes due 2019.☐ ☐  ☐
2To adjourn or postpone the special meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies.☐ ☐    ☐ 
NOTE: Such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.
Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name, by authorized officer.
Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX]DateSignature (Joint Owners)Date

0000279374_1      R1.0.1.25 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Special Meeting:The Form 10-K (as amended by Form 10-K/A) and Notice & Proxy Statement are available at https://materials.proxyvote.com/148411

THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS OF
A.M. CASTLE & CO.
Special Meeting of Stockholders on May 6, 2016
The undersigned, revoking all prior proxies, hereby constitutes and appoints Steven W. Scheinkman and Marec E. Edgar, his true and lawful agent and proxy with full power of substitution in each, to attend the Special Meeting of Stockholders of A.M. Castle & Co. to be held at, 1420 Kensington Road, Suite 220, Oak Brook, Illinois at 11:00 a.m., Central Time, on May 6, 2016, and at any adjournments or postponements thereof, to cast on behalf of the undersigned all votes that the undersigned is entitled to cast at such meeting, and otherwise represent the undersigned at the meeting with all powers possessed by the undersigned if personally present at the meeting.
THE VOTES ENTITLED TO BE CAST BY THE UNDERSIGNED WILL BE CAST AS INSTRUCTED ON THE REVERSE SIDE HEREOF. IF THIS PROXY IS EXECUTED BUT NO INSTRUCTION IS GIVEN, THE VOTES ENTITLED TO BE CAST BY THE UNDERSIGNED WILL BE CAST “FOR” PROPOSALS 1 AND 2. THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN THE DISCRETION OF THE PROXY HOLDER ON ANY OTHER MATTER THAT MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING OR ANY ADJOURNMENTS OR POSTPONEMENTS THEREOF.
Continued and to be signed on reverse side

0000279374_2   R1.0.1.25